A total of four government officials have been indicted in a widening federal bribery and corruption probe.

Two of those officials are Levy County commissioners William Samuel Yearty and Robert Anthony Parker. Indictments were also handed out for Cross City officials Marcellus Dawson and Johnny Miller Green.

All four indictments were handed down on Oct. 20 by the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, and Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday issued excecutive orders to suspend the four men.

• William Samuel Yearty, also known as Sammy Yearty, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery and one count of knowingly making a false or fraudulent statement.
• Robert Anthony Parker was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of bribery.

Yearty and Parker were both re-elected this year. Yearty retained a county commission seat in August, while Parker was re-elected on Tuesday.

According to WCJB TV in Bronson Fla., Yearty and Parker's charges stem from a $10,000 cash bribe they are alleged to have accepted.

Yearty's court appearance was Wednesday. He pled not guilty and was released on a $50,000 bond. Parker was released on his own recognizance, as long as he meets several terms, including a curfew. They are both due back in court on Dec. 8.

If convicted, Yearty and Parker face five years in prison on the conspiracy charge, and 10 years in prison for the bribery charge. Yearty could face an additional five years on the charge of making a false statement.

The two Cross City officials were also suspended by the governor's executive order.

• Johnny Miller Green, city superintendent and a member of the water board in Cross City, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery and one count of knowingly making a false or fraudulent statement.
• Marcellus Dawson, city councilman for Cross City, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery and one count of knowingly making a false or fraudulent statement.

  Fast Fact:

  • Full story: WCJB TV news (with video)