Jamey Noel accused of using fire department funds to purchase flights for family, former councilwoman (2024)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Investigators are asking for records that show how former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel paid for commercial airline tickets for his family and a former councilwoman who is also the mother of one of his children.

Noel served as Clark County sheriff from 2015-23 and also led New Chapel Fire/EMS and the Utica Township Volunteer Fire Department. He faces 31 charges related to allegations he used millions of dollars from the agencies for his own use. Charges also include misconduct, ghost employment and public corruption.

The former sheriff is accused of using credit cards from the agencies to fund his and his family's lifestyle — paying for a massive car collection, an airplane, and bills for his kids — including rent and college tuition — among other things.

Now, county officials and investigators with Indiana State Police are asking for records that detail how Noel, his family, and a former councilwoman paid for tickets from three different commercial airlines.

Former Clark County Councilwoman Brittney Ferree is listed on the latest documents in the Noel case released Thursday. According to search warrants and child support documents, Noel and Ferree have a child together. Noel was previously accused of using taxpayer money from the Utica Fire Department to pay child support to Ferree. In total, investigators said Noel gave Ferree more than $114,000 for child support, trips and other expenses using money from the Utica Fire Department between 2019 and 2022.

According to court documents, investigators are now asking for all billing and account information for Noel, his wife Misty and their daughter Kasey, as well as Ferree. That includes flight history, itineraries, reservation information, subscriber information, purchase history, statements, payment history — including canceled checks, bank account numbers, wire transfers, ACH payments, EFT payments, credit card numbers, mailing addresses, correspondences and email addresses.

Misty and Kasey are also charged in the case, facing multiple felony charges for theft and tax evasion, but are out of jail on bond while Jamey Noel remains in the Scott County Jail on a $1.5 million bond. Ferree has not been charged in the case.

Noel was arrested inNovember 2023on 15 felony charges related to fraud, misconduct, theft, ghost employment and public corruption after a nearly yearlong investigation, which remains ongoing.Another 10 chargeswere filed against him in early February, including theft and tax evasion.

He'd been out of jail after posting a $75,000 cash bond. As one of the terms of his release, Noel 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.

Special Judge Larry Medlockordered Noel back to jail for 60 days, finding him in contempt of court. Six new chargeswere filed against Noel in early June. According to court documents, those include one count of money laundering and five additional counts of theft. In total, he now faces 31 charges.

Medlockincreased Noel's bond amount to $1.5 milliona day afterthe new charges were leviedagainsthim, so he was not released from jail at the end of his 60-day sentence.

Some of the theft accusations against Noelwere outlined in an auditreleased in April of the Utica Township Volunteer Firefighters association and New Chapel EMS. The audit revealed Noel used taxpayer money to pay forvacations, Rolex watches,high-end clothing,child support,college tuitionand more. TheIndiana State Board of Accountsconducted the audit for the period of Jan. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2023.

From 2019 to 2023,auditors said New Chapel received a total of $3.9 million in public money from Clark and Floyd counties. Over that same 4-year time 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 4-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 auditdetails the roughly $4.4 millionNoel, 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.

Noel and his family are now beingordered 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 repayafter a state audit of the Clark County Sheriff's Office Jail Commissary fund. The audit covered 2015-17 and 2019-22.

AMay court ruling prohibits the Noels from selling any assetsas 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 IndianaAttorney General Todd Rokitaasked a judge to issue an injunction and a restraining orderto 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.

Depositions in the case are set for August. About 20 notices were sent earlier this month to people who may be called in the fraud trail against Noel.

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.

A jury trial for Noel is scheduled to begin in November.

Previous Jamey Noel Coverage:

• 20 deposition notices sent in theft, fraud trial against Jamey Noel
• Investigators taking closer look at Jamey Noel's credit card spending in theft, fraud case
• Special judge appointed in Jamey Noel's civil case
• Judge raises Jamey Noel's bond to $1.5M as he sits in jail facing 31 felony charges
• 6 new charges filed against Jamey Noel for theft, money laundering
• Court ruling prohibits family of Jamey Noel from selling any assets until civil case resolved
• Indiana Attorney General files complaint to receive public funds back from Jamey Noel
• Investigators seize items from now former Clark County deputy auditor in ongoing Jamey Noel investigation

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