(MT. VERNON, IL) — Jefferson County Sheriff Travis Allen and Chief Deputy Clint Taylor received an official warning earlier this year regarding a possible ethics violation. According to a letter written in May by Jefferson County State’s Attorney Doug Hoffman, the possible violation came from a political fundraising event on which the numbers for the county issued cell phones of Allen and Taylor were allegedly listed. Hoffman says in the letter that he investigated the issue and confirmed the phone numbers listed on the flyer for the “Travis Allen for Sheriff 1^st Annual Golf Scramble are owned by the county. Violations of the ordinance are punishable by fines or jail time. Anyone who is found to be guilty of the ethics ordinance can be punished by jail time and fined. Allen and Taylor were each informed of the alleged violation and have said they were unaware of the ordinance. Since being warned they say they have purchased separate phones to be used for political activity.