Can you be charged with violating local travel orders?

Indiana and Illinois have stay-at-home orders in place.

Some people in Vigo County have been charged for violating that order.

For the past few weeks... indiana and illinois have been under a "stay at home" order.

It's a mandatory order to help stop the spread of covid-19.

However -- essential travel is allowed.

So -- if you're out and about for "non essential" trave -- could you get in trouble for not obeying the stay at home order?

News 10's sarah lehman talked with the vigo county prosecutor today.

She's live in our newsroom with more on what you should know.

Recently people who have been arrested in public have also been charged with a violation of local travel order.

We wanted to know what that means for you.

"there's people dying from this so you know we need to understand that and do what we can to not only protect yourself but to protect others."

Across the country -- states are enacting stay at home orders.

Many officers are not strictly enforcing these orders.

But vigo county prosecutor terry modesitt says here -- some charges have been made for those violating the order.

"law enforcement has been actually adding some charges with people that they've placed under arrest for actually violating the travel ban."

And it's no small fee.

If you're charged with violating the travel ban in indiana it could mean 180 days in jail or a one thousand dollar fine.

"it's a crime just like anyting else you can be arrested for.

/// just to kind of get the message out there that hey we do have this travel ban it also is a crime if in fact you violate it."

Right now -- the only people being charged with this are those who are already being arrested for something else.

So should everyone be worried?

"i mean as it stands right now law enforcement is not like looking for people.

/// we hope that people will be smart enough to abide by the travel ban and only get out if in fact it's necessary /// we haven't gone that far yet but i mean obviously if the pandemic continues on and we continue to have issues then we'll have to do more at that point."

It's important to rememeber essential travel is okay.

If you're an essential employee going to work -- or you are getting groceries for your family is all considered essential.

Not only can you be charged for that.

But you can also be charged if you lie to or do not comply with a health official asking about covid-19.

You could be charged with anywhere from a class b misdeamor to a level 6 felony.

Reporting live in the newsroom sarah lehman news 10 back to you.