A well-known former sheriff in southern Indiana is currently facing 25 felony charges. He stands accused of embezzling taxpayer funds and squandering hundreds of thousands of dollars on lavish vacations, luxury cigars, and cosmetic surgery.
Jamey Noel, who is 52 years old, along with his wife, Misty, who is 50 years old, and their daughter, Kasey, who is 27 years old, faced charges after it was discovered that they had used credit cards opened in the name of the nonprofit fire agency that Mr. Noel was in charge of. The total amount spent on these credit cards was estimated to be around $5 million.
According to search warrants, it was discovered that the trio had spent a substantial amount of money on various expenses. They reportedly used over $300,000 on vacations and travel, $200,000 on tuition and college-related costs, $56,000 on cigars, and $25,000 on a small plane. Additionally, they are alleged to have indulged in expenditures on cosmetic procedures, tanning, clothing, and vape products.
Over a span of five years, the three family members allegedly failed to report over $3.5 million in income, merchandise, and services on their tax returns.
Mr. Noel has been charged with additional individual offenses, which include allegations of using public funds to purchase over 100 luxury cars and reselling them for personal gain. Furthermore, it is claimed that he employed his former deputies as personal assistants and maintenance workers on his private properties during their designated work hours.
In the midst of the legal proceedings, he has been accused in court documents of engaging in an affair, resulting in the pregnancy of Brittney Ferree, a member of the Clark County Council, who subsequently gave birth to their child.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Noel is accused of using funds from the Volunteer Firefighters Association to fulfill his court-ordered child support obligations.
All three members of the family have entered pleas of not guilty.
According to court filings, prosecutors claim that the family has been uncooperative with investigators.
Sheriff Noel gained popularity when he made his debut on Season One of the A&E show “60 Days In.” This eye-opening series aimed to scrutinize the policies and treatment of inmates in the Clark County prison. To accomplish this, volunteers went undercover as prisoners for a period of 60 days.
According to Inside Edition, he served as a state trooper for 22 years before transitioning into the role of sheriff in 2015.
In addition to his role as the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association, Mr. Noel also served as the head of the county’s Republican party.
But last year, his life as a public servant came crashing down when investigators from the Indiana State Police began delving into his finances. This eventually led to his arrest in November.
The authorities initially accused him of committing 15 felonies, but they later added another 10 charges for theft and tax evasion.
During the investigation, police executed around 50 search warrants on the family’s residence and vehicles. They discovered a significant amount of designer clothing, such as Tom James suits and Ferragamo shoes, which were purchased using the fire nonprofit’s credit cards. Additionally, two handguns were also found. The value of the clothing amounted to thousands of dollars.
In March, authorities made a significant discovery when they seized 26 shipping containers packed with $7 million worth of missing military surplus equipment. State police strongly believe that these containers belonged to the sheriff’s department and were concealed by Mr. Noel when he held the position.
Jamey Noel is scheduled to go to trial later this year.
