LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel filed a handwritten civil lawsuit from jail against several of his former colleagues, claiming his constitutional rights were violated.

The suit was filed April 17 in federal court against current Clark County Sheriff Scottie Maples, Assistant Chief Mark Grube, Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin and two others.

In the filing, Noel alleges his rights to freedom of religion under the 14th Amendment were violated when officials at the Clark and Scott county jails wouldn't accommodate his Catholic faith. He claims Goodin turned away a Catholic priest who attempted to hear confession and administer communion to Noel. He also accuses Maples of taking a photo from a secure jail camera monitor of Noel praying and posted it on social media "to ridicule me and mock me for practicing my Catholic faith."

The suit makes other accusations about his treatment behind bars, including retaliation from jail personnel and "cruel and unusual punishment." He also claims Indiana State Police Detective Jeffrey Hearon, who is also named in the lawsuit, failed to advise Noel of his rights when he tried to question him in jail.

Noel also claims his Mercedes Benz was seized without a warrant and damaged in the process, accusing Indiana State Police of refusing to return the keys to Noel's attorneys.

Maples and Goodin, who are both running for reelection this year, declined to comment on the lawsuit. Grube also declined to comment. 

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and at least $930,000 in damages.

It comes as Noel's ex-wife, Misty Noel — now going by her maiden name, Jackson — was released from prison Monday after serving nearly 10 months of her 18-month prison sentence on five counts of theft and five counts of tax evasion.

Jamey Noel pleaded guilty Aug. 26, 2024, to 27 felonies, including theft, obstruction of justice, tax evasion, money laundering, corrupt business influence and official misconduct. Noel agreed to a plea deal nearly a year after he was arrested and Indiana State Police investigators raided his home in southern Indiana.

The former sheriff was sentenced in Oct. 2024 to 12 years in prison, which he is serving at the Indiana Department of Corrections New Castle Correctional Annex. His earliest possible release date is June 2033.

A lengthy investigation found Noel took public money for years to support a lavish lifestyle that included cars, boats, planes, tuition payments, child support and more.

As part of the plea deal, he 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 

To recover the funds, nearly all of Noel’s assets were ordered sold at auctions. Among the items on the block, dozens of his personal items, guns, custom suits, watches, old police cruisers and luxury vehicles. 

In September, the former sheriff was also ordered to pay $918,000 in damages to the state of Indiana. The special judge in one of the state's civil cases against Noel said he should pay the $918,000 as punitive damages. The amount is in additional to the more than $3 million Noel agreed to pay as part of his criminal case.

This story will be updated.

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