The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is suing former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel, his family and two associates to make them pay millions in nonprofit and sheriff’s office funds they’re accused of spending or benefiting from.
The two lawsuits were filed last Friday in Clark County. They follow Indiana State Board of Accounts audits looking at the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association, also known as New Chapel EMS, and the Clark County jail commissary fund, over several years.
Noel was sheriff from 2015 to 2022, and operated New Chapel, which receives funding from Clark and Floyd Counties, until earlier this year.
He’s charged with 25 felonies including theft and tax evasion, as part of an Indiana State Police investigation that began almost a year ago. He’s currently serving a 60-day sentence after he was found in violation of the terms of his bond.
Noel’s wife and one of his daughters are also charged with felonies.
According to the two cases filed by Rokita’s office, Noel, his family and two associates are responsible for at least $4.9 million — which includes the cost of the two audits released earlier this year that are the basis for these cases.
The plaintiffs are also asking for more, under the Indiana Crime Victims Relief Act, which allows them to seek up to three times the amount of monetary damages in some instances.
The lawsuit related to the sheriff’s office jail commissary fund filed last week also lists as a defendant Auto-Owners Insurance Company, which provided surety liability for Noel, including coverage of “dishonest acts and unfaithful performance of duties in his capacity as sheriff.”
Rokita’s office also filed motions in each case for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to freeze the family’s assets — including any property, vehicles, cash, stocks or bonds — while the cases continue.
Attorneys for Rokita’s office say in the filings they believe the defendants are seeking to liquidate assets. It shows Noel and his wife recently sold a rental property in Jeffersonville and that a vacation property they own in Naples, Florida is listed for sale.
The filing also shows Noel’s daughter, Kasey — who is accused of illegally using New Chapel funds — has taken steps to sell her Clark County home.
They also say there’s evidence the family is trying to sell a number of vehicles. They say there have been at least 17 applications for duplicate titles — state police have seized many of the original vehicle titles as part of the criminal investigation. They also say Noel’s wife, Misty, has taken steps to try to sell at least 21 vehicles.
Both lawsuits have been forwarded to the Indiana Supreme Court for appointment of a special judge.
The defendants did not yet have attorneys listed in the lawsuits as of Tuesday afternoon.
Coverage of Southern Indiana is funded, in part, by Samtec Inc., the Hazel & Walter T. Bales Foundation, and the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County.
