Ten months after she was initially charged and arrested, Kasey Noel pleaded guilty Monday in a Clark County courtroom.
Court records show she spent more than $100,000 that belonged to the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association — also known as New Chapel EMS — and didn’t report the spending on her taxes.
Under the plea, she admitted guilt in all nine counts. She was sentenced to five years, with nine months to serve in jail. Under Indiana sentencing, she’ll likely serve half that time in custody.
“I followed the wrong examples, and I’m sorry,” Kasey Noel told Special Judge Larry Medlock in court Monday, later adding, “The biggest thing I’ve learned is to not blindly trust people, even family.”
Kasey Noel is one of five people charged in the extensive investigation of her father, Jamey Noel. Her plea Monday came months after the former sheriff pleaded guilty to more than two dozen felonies. He’s currently serving a 12-year prison sentence.
Jamey Noel said during his October sentencing his family didn’t know about the business he ran, and said he did their tax returns.
“I controlled everything when it came to our family's finances… my family trusted me to do that, and I obviously didn't do it,” Jamey Noel said at that hearing.
Jamey Noel’s wife, Misty, is also charged — with 10 counts of theft and tax evasion. Police say she and Jamey Noel used New Chapel funds for items and services, and failed to report more than $3 million on their joint tax returns over several years.
With back-to-back hearings, Misty Noel sat close to her daughter in court, with her arm around her at times. After Kasey Noel was sentenced, her mother hugged her, crying as she was taken into custody.
Attorneys did not present a plea agreement at Misty Noel’s hearing that followed, but said negotiations are ongoing.
Attorney Sunnye Bush-Sawtelle told reporters she was pleased with the final outcome.
“I think we had a good case to take to trial,” she said. “Any time if in the process of pretrial negotiations, you can reach a reasonable agreement that results in your client being able to return to normal life, and…to not completely disrupt her life for many years, I think that's a good outcome for her.”
Special Prosecutor Ric Hertel said they weighed a lot in trying to reach a resolution — “her age, her lack of criminal history, her involvement in these matters, with her father and her mother,” he said. “We feel that this was a good resolution of the case, and she's accountable for what she did.”
Before ultimately accepting it, Medlock questioned Kasey Noel’s plea, and brought up previous discussions by Bush-Sawtelle on Jamey Noel’s control and manipulation over his family.
Bush-Sawtelle said there are often viable defenses that can ultimately aid in plea agreements.
Kasey Noel’s probation will be in Washington County. Judge Medlock said he expects her to abide by the terms of that probation, or she’ll serve the rest of her sentence incarcerated.
“I don't want you to do that,” he said. “I want you to go learn from this and go out and make a good life for yourself. But if you haven't learned from it, we’ll see each other.”
Former Clark County Council member Brittney Ferree, who has a child with Jamey Noel, was also charged last year with a level 6 felony for conflict of interest. She appeared in court Monday. Attorneys said they’re still negotiating a possible resolution in the case.
John Miller, who served on the county council until the end of 2024, is also charged with a level 6 felony for conflict of interest. His case was not part of Monday’s county proceedings.
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