Kasey Noel is the third person in her immediate family to be charged in the monthslong criminal investigation of her father, former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel.
She was released Monday on bond.
Kasey Noel faces nine level 6 felonies for theft and tax evasion. Police say she spent more than $108,000 between 2019 and 2023 on personal items and services, and charged them to the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association, a nonprofit organization also known as New Chapel EMS.
Investigators say she also didn’t report the spending as income on her tax returns for four of those years; court records show her 2023 return had not yet been filed at the time of charges.
Jamey Noel previously operated the nonprofit, and court records show Kasey Noel was his administrative assistant.
Her mother, Misty Noel, was charged in late January with 10 felonies, also for allegedly charging personal items and services to Utica/New Chapel.
Jamey Noel was initially charged with 15 felonies in November, including theft, corrupt business influence and ghost employment. Special prosecutor Ric Hertel later filed 10 additional counts.
Both were in court for their daughter’s hearing.
Kasey Noel was charged last Wednesday in the previously sealed case. She turned herself in Friday and was held without bond over the weekend in Scott County.
In court Monday, special prosecutor Ric Hertel requested bond be set between $30,000 and $40,000.
He also noted that while a judge can weigh family relationships as a positive for a defendant when setting bond, “in this case, her mother has been charged and her father has been charged at this point in time,” he said. “So I don’t know that the court should weigh as a positive factor the family ties and relationships in this matter.”
Kasey Noel’s attorney, Sunnye Bush-Sawtelle, requested she either be released on her own recognizance, or be given a $5,000 surety bond. She noted her client has no criminal history, and has family ties and support in the community beyond her parents.
“Kasey Noel is the opposite of a flight risk, Judge,” Bush-Sawtelle said. “She's certainly not a risk of public safety. And she is entitled to a bond that’s based on her case and her circumstances alone, and not on the case or circumstances of anyone else.”
Special Judge Larry Medlock gave two options — a $20,000 cash bond, or the $5,000 surety bond plus an ankle bracelet. Kasey Noel chose the higher bond.
Court staff confirmed Larry Wilder, who represents Jamey Noel in his criminal case, posted her bond.
Hertel also mentioned worries that the family was getting information about warrants coming, even though at least in Jamey and Kasey Noel’s cases, that information was sealed.
“The state has some concerns about that information somehow being provided to the Noel family,” he said. “And I feel compelled to bring it up to the court.”
Bush-Sawtelle said she’d anticipated the charges, after receiving a call from a detective in the Indiana State Police case, letting her know they’d be moving forward.
Hertel said after the hearing he doesn’t think state police would have provided that information.
“It would be improper for him to do that, or the Indiana State Police or any officer of the court to do that,” he said. “So I don't believe that that's what happened.”
Hertel indicated it’s still possible more people may be charged in the “fluid investigation,” but wouldn’t comment further.
Bush-Sawtelle gave a short statement to reporters after the hearing but did not take questions.
“I would ask that the media, as this case progresses, keeps an open mind and follows the facts of the case,” she said. “At this point, you've heard one side of that. There will be more and I'd appreciate that everyone pay attention and please follow that as closely as possible.”
Kasey Noel has a pretrial conference scheduled for April 9, with a jury trial currently set for Aug. 20.
This story has been updated.
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