JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Calling his actions "reprehensible," a judge Monday sentenced former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel to 12 years in prison after he previously pleaded guilty to 27 felonies. 

Special Judge Larry Medlock reticently accepted a plea agreement calling for the incarceration and millions in restitution, telling Noel his "greed" caused tremendous pain for his employees, family members and the people in his community. The sentence was actually 15 years in prison but three of those years were suspended to probation. 

"One outlandish discovery after another," Medlock said about the Noel case, which has garnered national attention and was shocking for his brazenness. "You have failed everyone ... bullying those who would not submit to your will." 

Noel, 53, pleaded guilty to theft, obstruction of justice, tax evasion, money laundering, corrupt business influence and official misconduct Aug. 26. He agreed to the plea deal nearly a year after he was arrested and Indiana State Police investigators raided his home in southern Indiana.

Medlock said Noel probably deserved a lifetime in prison for his conduct, but that sentence is not allowed.

"You've tarnished the badge and failed everyone in law enforcement."

The judge also fined Noel $270,000 "since you worship at the altar of money." 

Before his sentencing, Noel read from a statement, tearfully apologizing to his family, law enforcement members, emergency medical workers and the community.

He said his family, including his wife, had no idea of his illegal activities, saying, "I controlled everything. They were victims of my deceit just like everybody else." 

Noel said he was sorry to the citizens of Clark County "who trusted me. I violated their trusts and I'm sorry." 

And he apologized to the men and women in law enforcement, saying his "activities have tarnished" their reputation. 

"I do not look forward to the next 12 years (incarcerated) but I understand why I will be spending time in prison, and I accept this," Noel said before ending with a short prayer confessing that he had sinned. 

Several of Noel's victims also spoke during the sentencing, including former employees and people in the community who had suffered because of Noel's crimes. 

About 20 victims who worked under Noel or were affected by his leadership at the sheriff's office, New Chapel Fire/EMS and the Utica Township Volunteer Fire Department spoke how Noel's actions caused deaths of people and inmates who needed quicker medical treatment, mental and physical pain among employees and stolen funds that robbed the community of necessary resources.

The judge in the case wanted to hear from victims before accepting Noel's plea deal and sentencing him to 12 years in prison.

"He had no regard for our personal safety," testified Suzanne Davis, who worked as a paramedic at New Chapel EMS from 2020-22. "No regard for our mental health. None."

"It is incomprehensible for me to understand what he stole from our small town," said Beverly Kenecht.

"I hope you suffer every day," said Janice Sweet, the mother of Christopher Sweet, who died at age 37 in Clark County jail in 2017 after not receiving treatment for chest pains. "I hope you rot in prison."

Charlestown, Indiana, Mayor Treva Hodges told the judge used his "corrupt influence" to take money from the city, including a school safety officer position, jeopardizing public safety. 

"His actions placed the residents and particularly the school children at risk," she said. 

As part of the plea deal, Noel was ordered to pay more than $3.1 million in restitution to four different public agencies:

  • $2,870,924 to Utica Township Volunteers Firefighters Association (dba New Chapel EMS)
  • $173,155.07 to the Indiana Department of Revenue
  • $61,190.77 to the Clark County Sheriff's Department
  • $35,245.60 to Indiana State Police 

Four of Noel's charges of felony ghost employment were dismissed as part of the deal. He agreed to serve a total sentence of 15 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with three years suspended to probation. He'll receive credit for days served, beginning June 8, 2024. Noel has been in custody in the Scott County Jail on a $1.5 million bond. His jury trial was scheduled to begin in November.

Noel has been in custody in the Scott County Jail on a $1.5 million bond. His jury trial was scheduled to begin in November.

What led to Jamey Noel's arrest?

Much of the damning evidence in the case has been released as part of the lengthy investigation into Noel's corruption and use of public funds to support he and his family's lavish lifestyle. Noel, who served as Clark County Sheriff from 2015-23 and also led New Chapel Fire/EMS and the Utica Township Volunteer Fire Department, has for months faced allegations he used millions of dollars from the agencies for his own use. 

The former sheriff is accused of using credit cards from the agencies to pay for a massive car collection, an airplane and bills for his kids, including rent and college tuition. There are millions of dollars in charges, all outlined in official court documents.

Noel was arrested in November 2023 on 15 felony charges related to fraud, misconduct, theft, ghost employment and public corruption after a nearly year-long investigation. More charges were filed against him in early February, including theft and tax evasion.

He had been out of jail after posting a $75,000 cash bond. As one of the terms of his release, he was prohibited from having firearms aside from a shotgun for "personal protection." But he was ordered to appear in court after two pistols were found by Indiana State Police detectives during a search of the family home.

Judge Medlock ordered him back to jail for 60 days, finding him in contempt of court. Six new charges were filed against Noel in early June. According to court documents, those included one count of money laundering and five additional counts of theft. Medlock increased his bond amount to $1.5 million a day after the new charges were levied against him, so he was not released from jail at the end of his 60-day sentence. 

That completed the total of 31 charges that Noel faced at the time of Monday's plea.

Some of the theft accusations against Noel were outlined in an audit released in April of the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association and New Chapel EMS. The audit revealed he used taxpayer money to pay for vacations, Rolex watches, high-end clothing, child support, college tuition and more.

The Indiana State Board of Accounts said, from 2019-23, New Chapel received a total of $3.9 million in public money from Clark and Floyd counties. Over that same four-year period, Noel was paid $582,564 in wages, as listed on his W-2. But auditors said he was paid even more money off the books. Over that four-year period, auditors said New Chapel made $4.4 million in payments on an American Express credit card, $2 million of which Noel spent alone.

The audit details the roughly $4.4 million Noel, his wife Misty and daughter Kasey all racked up on the New Chapel EMS American Express credit card, roughly between 2019 and the end of 2023. 

As part of the ongoing investigation, Noel and his family were ordered by the state to pay all of the money back, which is an estimated $4.4 million. That's in addition to the $918,000 he's been asked to repay after a state audit of the Clark County Sheriff's Office Jail Commissary fund. The audit covered 2015-17 and 2019-22.

A May court ruling prohibited the Noels from selling any assets as part of the state's civil suit against the former sheriff to recover the millions of dollars in alleged misused public money. The ruling came after Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita asked a judge to issue an injunction and a restraining order to stop Noel and his family from selling assets such as cars, homes, jewelry and clothing so all public funds can be paid back. Ultimately, the judge issued the temporary restraining order to block sales of the Noel family's assets, which are now frozen.

To date, investigators have made public more than 60 search warrants and their findings since their probe began last summer, each outlining evidence seized or otherwise learned in the case. 

Charges against Noel's family

Misty Noel, who has since filed for divorce from her husband, and their daughter, Kasey Noel, are also implicated in the case, facing multiple felony charges for theft and tax evasion. They have each pleaded not guilty to the charges against them and are out of jail on bond. 

A jury trial for Kasey Noel was set to start Tuesday, Aug. 20. Instead, it was delayed during a court hearing that day until Medlock issued a ruling on a request asking that their trials be joined. The two petitioned the court Aug. 6 to have their cases combined, since they both face similar charges connected to the investigation into Jamey Noel. 

The charges against Noel's wife, Misty Noel, require a 12-person jury. The charges against their daughter, Kasey, require just six people.

On Sept. 5, a court filing by Misty Noel's attorney stated she would stick with the larger jury and their cases would not be combined. 

Misty Noel was charged with 10 felonies in the case. She was arrested in February and spent a weekend in the Scott County Detention Center before her first court appearance and was released from jail after posting a $30,000 cash bond. 

Kasey Noel was arrested in April on nine felony charges, including five counts of theft and four counts of tax evasion. Search warrants in the corruption case of Jamey Noel indicate Kasey Noel charged more than $100,000 to the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters Association and New Chapel EMS. 

According to court documents listing items purchased, Kasey Noel made the following purchases totaling $108,660.59 between October 2018 and September 2023:

  • Clothing
  • Tanning
  • Cosmetics
  • Manicure and pedicure services
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Trips
  • Alcohol
  • Utilities
  • Vaping products
  • Gas
  • Netflix
  • Items from Amazon

In court on Oct. 7, Misty and Kasey Noel were there to discuss plans for their trial, scheduled for the same day — Oct. 28 — but a plea deal may now be in the works.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys told Judge Larry Medlock they are working on a plea agreement for the both of them.

"We have been in negotiation for quite some period of time," said Ric Hertel, special prosecutor. "We don't have a resolution at this time, but we are working and continue to work toward a potential plea agreement to offer to the court for review and possible acceptance, but we are not there yet at this point and time."

The attorneys want to have a resolution brought to court in the near future.

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