Embattled former sheriff Jamey Noel spent $60,000 on plane tickets for his mistress and his family members including his wife, according to the latest court allegations from a massive state corruption investigation accusing him of stealing millions in public funds.
Noel, 53, has been the target of Indiana State Police probe, led by a special prosecutor, into his controversial tenure as Clark County sheriff from 2015 to 2023, when he left office. Noel simultaneously led the Utica Township Volunteer Fire Department, also known as New Chapel EMS.
Search warrant affidavits filed in court last week allege Noel and then-County Council member Brittney Ferree, with whom he was having an affair, went on trips together that Noel paid for air fares and expenses with money stolen from the nonprofit fire agency.
Noel and the council woman took three trips together from 2019 to 2022, according to search warrant affidavits filed in Clark County court. They traveled to New York City in 2019, where they stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel, the affidavit alleges. They later met in New Orleans and in Tampa, state investigators said.
Ferree, who has not been charged in connection with Noel's case, told investigators the affair ended in December 2022. She and Noel also had a son together and a 2020 paternity case established Noel as the father and ordered him to pay child support to Ferree, according to court records.
In last week's affidavit filing, investigators noted that Ferree had twice voted to approve county funding to Noel's fire agency while she was romantically involved with him, with both votes occurring in 2021, the filing said.
Noel also used those fire funds to purchase air tickets and travel expenses for his wife, Misty, and their eldest daughter, Kasey , according to authorities.
Noel is accused of stealing funds from the fire agency to pay more than $104,000 in child support, according to state investigators. Ferree allegedly told investigators she didn't know the payments came from public funds, authorities said.
Inside Edition Digital reached out Monday to Ferree's attorney, who has previously denied comment about her client.
In all, Noel faces 31 felony counts accusing him of stealing more than $5 million in public monies to buy more than 120 classic cars, vacations, designer clothes, a train and a plane. He is also accused of official misconduct and corruption for allegedly using his department's employees as personal gophers and maintenance workers for his properties, according to charging documents.
Misty Noel has been charged with 10 felonies in the case. She has pleaded not guilty. Hear trial date has been extended to Oct. 28. Kasey Noel faces nine felony charges, to which she has pleaded not guilty. Her trial is scheduled for Aug. 20.
Term limits forced Noel to step down at the end of 2022. The Indiana State Police began investigating him in June 2023 after his successor came forward as a whistleblower, authorities said. The sprawling investigation is still very active, with new charges having been filed by the special prosecutor every few months.
Noel is currently in jail on contempt charges after he violated the terms of his bail by having firearms inside his house, a judge ruled in April.
In June, the judge upped his bail to $1.5 million cash ,saying the former sheriff should have no problem finding the money."You were out flaunting luxuries acquired allegedly at the expense of taxpayers," the judge said in open court. "With all those luxuries, you should be able to post (bond) with no problems, with everything that you have," he said.
Noel has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. His trial is scheduled for November.
The Noels have not commented publicly on their cases.
Related Stories
Most Popular
Comments / 0