By Andrew Harp
The Evening News and the Tribune
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — A plea deal has been reached in the criminal case of former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel. However, the judge is taking it under advisement to ensure all victims are heard.
Noel, the former chair of the Clark County GOP and 9th District Republican Party, is incarcerated at the Scott County Jail. The former Clark County Sheriff was charged with 31 felonies, and his jury trial was scheduled for November.
Noel and his legal counsel changed their plea to guilty at a court hearing on Monday in Clark Circuit Court in Jeffersonville. Noel read each count and admitted he had committed it.
The deal states that Noel plead guilty to all counts except for all four counts of ghost employment, which were dismissed.
The crimes he pleaded guilty to included theft, official misconduct, tax evasion, money laundering, corrupt business influence, and obstruction of justice, all totaling 27 counts. Most of the charges were related to his time as president and CEO of the Utica Township Firefighters Association, which also does business as New Chapel Fire/EMS.
Noel would serve a total sentence of 15 years in prison and then three years probation under the deal.
The deal states that Noel will also pay restitution to the Utica Township Fire Fighters Association at $2,870,924, the sheriff’s department at $61,190.77, the Indiana Department of Revenue at $173,155.07 with his wife, Misty Noel, and the Indiana State Police for the costs associated with the storage of evidence at $35,245.60.
It also states that Noel will pay a fine and costs determined by the court.
Judge Larry Medlock said he will put the conviction and sentence under advisement.
He said he wants to hear from “a lot” of the victims affected by Noel’s actions at a future sentencing hearing at a yet-to-be-determined date.
He said he encourages those who are victims to reach out to Special Prosecuting Attorney Richard Hertel’s office so that their perspectives are heard and are on the record.
“I want to hear from people that don’t have $800 belts,” Medlock said.
With that, Hertel said it will be a challenge to collect the victims, but will do so. He also gave credit to the attorneys he has worked with on the case and also the Indiana State Police investigators.
“We’ve come a long way since that initial hearing in November,” Hertel said during a press conference.
Hertel indicated during the press conference that Noel didn’t provide information about others as part of the deal, though he added more people could be charged in the case.
Noel’s home was searched last August at the onset of the investigation. He was arrested in November on initial felony counts, though more charges were added as the investigation continued.
Beyond serving two consecutive terms as sheriff through 2022, Noel was a major figure in local and state politics. He also led the Utica Fire Association, which garnered multiple public contracts for fire and EMS service in Clark and Floyd counties during Noel’s time with the company. The association board, which rarely met during the time in which state police said most of the crimes occurred, voted to terminate his employment in January.
The legal counsel of the association, which does business as New Chapel EMS, attended a hearing Monday for a motion they submitted to intervene in the attorney general’s case against Noel and his family to recover funds in order to recoup the company’s losses.
New Chapel’s lawyer, Coy Travis, argued that the money spent by Noel through the association’s funds was stolen, and is not public funds. The state argued that they are public funds, therefore they have jurisdiction over them.
Judge Roger Duvall said he was going to deny the intervention, but took it under advisement contingent upon the submittance of documentation for review.
Noel and his family are accused of spending millions of dollars on various personal purchases including travel, gifts, clothing and vehicles. The Indiana State Police conducted dozens of searches uncovering questionable purchases of classic cars, college tuition and an aircraft.
Since the investigation started, New Chapel’s contract in Floyd County wasn’t renewed, and the company backed out of the majority of its deal in Clark County due to staffing shortages. Utica and New Albany Township also ended contracts with New Chapel.
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