Jamey Noel sued by Mercedes-Benz over thousands owed on leased vehicle

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A former southern Indiana sheriff convicted of 27 felonies for stealing millions from taxpayers is facing new legal action.

Mercedes-Benz is suing Jamey Noel, accusing him of falling behind on lease payments for a 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS-450 V4.

According to court documents and a copy of the lease, the vehicle was valued at more than $108,000 at the time of the 36-month lease, which started Dec. 30, 2022.

The company said Noel owes nearly $30,000 on the lease and is suing to get that money back, as well as more than $2,100 in other associated costs and court costs.

Noel is currently in prison serving a 12-year sentence after being convicted of 27 felonies.

The Mercedes-Benz lawsuit is just the latest in legal troubles for the former Clark County sheriff.

As part of his sentencing last October, Noel was ordered to pay back $3.1 million in restitution to New Chapel EMS, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Revenue.

Roughly $93,000 worth of Noel’s property has been sold at auction. In January, dozens of his firearms, custom-made suits, and Rolex watches were auctioned off by Freije & Freije in Stilesville, Indiana.

Last week, 43 vehicles once owned by Noel hit the auction block for a two-day auction in French Lick, Indiana. All of the vehicles sold for a total of $1.2 million. That money, minus fees, will go toward paying off Noel's court-ordered restitution.

Noel's remaining assets include several real estate holdings. Two properties near Utica, Indiana, are listed for $302,000 and $496,000.

However, liens on both properties mean the full sale price won’t go toward restitution. Noel’s home in Naples, Florida, is under contract for $588,000. He purchased it for $275,000 in 2020, though that property also carries a mortgage.

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