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Clinton County Sheriff’s Office - page 3

Sheriff Kelly Freezes Hiring, Awaits Nepotism Ordinance from Commissioners; $2 Million of Revenue Hangs In The Balance

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Sheriff Kelly Freezes Hiring, Awaits Nepotism Ordinance from Commissioners

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. – Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly announced to members of the Clinton County Council on Tuesday he has placed a freeze on hiring new merit deputies and correctional officers pending the County Commissioners action on a planned revised nepotism ordinance that would remove his wife, Ashley Kelly, as jail matron.

“The pause has to be created due to the fact the funds that are gonna fund that possibly won’t be there in the future due to the fact that the nepotism policy in place [might change],” said Sheriff Kelly after the meeting.

The funding Sheriff Kelly mentions is money paid by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to the Clinton County Federal Inmate Housing Fund for the housing of federal inmates in addition to money received from the Indiana Department of Correction (IDC) for housing state inmates.

Federal inmates held in the Clinton County jail generate yearly revenue approaching $1.5 million plus an additional $500,000 received from the IDC. The IDC pays the county a yearly amount that breaks down to approximately $37.50 per inmate/per day, while the Federal program payment equates to $68 per inmate/per day plus reimbursement for medical and transport.

Every three years the agreement with the Federal Bureau of Prisons can be renegotiated – and is coming up for talks later in 2022. The State pays based on an average yearly population with an amount set on a yearly basis.

“Our responsibility to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the US Marshals, US Attorney, [is] to be able to provide adequate staff and… an office manager – a person that takes care of that,” explained Sheriff Kelly. “If that person is removed, that’s not a job that I can just hire off the street. That is a job where I have to have 100% trust in the person that’s doing it.”

“The 100% availability at 24-hours a day [to take a] phone call from the US Marshals office or from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. And, that is not something that I take lightly.”

Clinton County Council President Alan Dunn was asked what potential impact the loss of the Federal inmate housing program would have on the county’s budget.

“Well, that’s something we’ll get into a lot more next week as we read through the budget for the first time,” said Dunn. “I’m not sure it’s appropriate to talk about now. There’s a lot of other discussions going on between the Sheriff’s camp and the county leadership.”

“And so I think those talks need to play out and, and, you know, I think the Sheriff’s right, it could have an impact on the budget and it could have, it could be not just one direction either. So let’s, let’s see how those talks play out. Let’s see what the budget looks like next week as we get into it and see what we can, what we can figure out.”

The County Council will hold budget hearings on August 16 while the next County Commissioners meeting is set for August 22.

Motorcycle, Deer Crash Leads to Fatal Death of Frankfort Woman

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Motorcycle, Deer Crash Leads to Fatal Death of Frankfort Woman

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. – A 33-year-old Frankfort female, Carla Ayes Fonfrias, died after the motorcycle she was a passenger of struck a deer in the eastbound lane of the 6500-block of W Mulberry Jefferson Road in rural Clinton County on Sunday, July 31, 2022.

According to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 5:15 p.m. deputies responded to a single vehicle motorcycle crash on W Mulberry Jefferson Road. Preliminary investigation determined that a Black 2010 Yamaha V-Star, operated by Gerald Palmer, 33, of Frankfort was traveling eastbound on Mulberry Jefferson when a deer entered his path. Palmer was unable to avoid the collision.

After impact, the motorcycle slid into the ditch on the south side of the road where Palmer and Fonfrias were thrown from the motorcycle.

Palmer was transported by ambulance to a Lafayette Hospital with serious injuries. Fonfrias succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, Drone Pilots and Chaplains were assisted by Clinton County Central Dispatch, Clinton County EMS, Clinton County Coroner’s Office, Mulberry Police Department, Mulberry Volunteer Fire Department and the Kokomo Police Department.

Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy and Drone Pilot Locate Missing Kayaker

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Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy and Drone Pilot Locate Missing Kayaker

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. – Clinton County Sheriff’s Deputy and Drone Pilot Joshua Blackwell responded to a call to assist the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at approximately 3:55 a.m., in the area of Adam’s Mill for a male kayaker who had reportedly been missing for approximately 8 hours.

Deputy Blackwell deployed his Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), better known as a drone, utilizing thermal imaging and a spotlight. Deputy Blackwell located the male within ten minutes of launching his UAV. The male was alive and checked out by first responders.

“I want to recognize our drone program for the outstanding and efficient work they provide to Clinton County and other agencies,” stated Clinton County Sheriff Sheriff Rich Kelly. “This is the third time in three months that Deputy Blackwell has utilized his UAV to locate an individual in the dark. I applaud the efforts of those involved in this program and thank them for their dedication to use these tools and provide this service. We currently have four drone pilots: Lieutenant Jerrad Blacker, Sergeant Thomas Pelling, Deputy Joshua Blackwell and Detective Ryan West. Well Done Deputy Blackwell!”

East Chicago Man Convicted on 5 Counts of Felony Child Molestation

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East Chicago Man Convicted on 5 Counts of Felony Child Molestation

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. – An East Chicago man, Jason Allen Walden, 46, was found guilty on 5 Counts of Felony Child Molestation; 3 counts of Level 1 Felony Child Molestation and 2 counts of Level 4 Felony Child Molestation by fondling in Clinton County Circuit Court on Tuesday, August 2, 2022.

Walden was arrested in 2020 after a joint investigation with Clinton County Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the Lafayette Police Department. Senior Judge Laura Zeman ordered Walden into immediate custody following his 12 person jury conviction. He was transported to the Clinton County Jail, where he will be held without bond, pending sentencing on September 6, 2022.

“I am incredibly proud of our detectives who followed up on this case,” stated Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly. “Walden has two previous acquittals for similar charges in Marion County, within the last several years. The collaboration with Lafayette Police Department and the impeccable work by our investigations led to the conviction of this individual for his heinous crimes. It is our number one mission to protect our children and our community. Thank you to all of the officers who successfully closed this case.”

New, Custom Stab Vests and Body Armor for Clinton County Jail Correctional Officers Arrive

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New Custom Stab Vests and Body Armor for Clinton County Jail Correction Officers Arrive
Correctional Offers shown wearing new custom stab vest and body armor along with body camera and taser with Sheriff Rich Kelly in the middle. From left to right are: Officer Horlacher, Officer Hernandez, Sheriff Kelly, Officer Whitaker and Officer Perkins.

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. – After a lengthy setback from supply chain issues, 26-sets of stab vests and body armor have finally arrived for Correctional Officers working in the Clinton County Jail located in Frankfort. These vests are custom fit to the individual and are issued as part of their duty uniform.

“We ordered this equipment in January and took delivery on the majority of our order this past week,” stated Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly.

“The number of violent assaults in prisons and jails have increased across the state over the last 2 years, such as Lieutenant Eugene Lasco who was stabbed to death by an inmate at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, IN on February 21, 2021.”

“It is my duty and priority to provide the necessary equipment to all staff to ensure their safety while providing an essential service in our community. The outer carrier offers additional health benefits to reduce the stress on the hips and lower back while giving the Officers the opportunity to carry more equipment, such as tourniquets, in the event of an injury to staff or inmates.”

While nearly $12,200 from the commissary fund was spent to purchase the 26 vests, half of that cost will be reimbursed via a grant awarded by the United States Department of Justice secured by the work of Jail Matron Ashley Kelly.

Correctional officers have also received in previous months body cameras and tasers purchased with money collected from housing federal inmates.

“I am incredibly proud of our staff and Matron Kelly for taking the initiative to provide new equipment, while saving local tax dollars. The camera and taser purchases are great examples of bringing federal tax dollars back into our community,” added Sheriff Kelly.

An additional order will be placed in the coming months to equip newer hired jail staff.

Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly and Jail Matron Ashley Kelly each Enter Pleas of Not Guilty

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Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly (R) leaving the Courthouse with wife Jail Matron Ashley Kelly after each entered not guilty pleas on four criminal charges.

FRANKFORT, Ind. – Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly and Jail Matron Ashley Kelly each entered pleas of not guilty today on each of the four individual criminal charges, filed March 4th, during an approximately eight minute long initial hearing in front of Senior Judge Peggy Lohorn in Clinton County Circuit Court.

Judge Lohorn set May 12, 2022, as a pre-trial date with June 14, 2022, as the tentative trial date.

The Kellys each face 1 count each of the following:

  1. as public servants knowingly or intentionally had a pecuniary interest in or derived a profit from a contract connected with their governmental entity served by the public servant;
  2. engaged in a violation of the criminal Conflict of Interest statute;
  3. engaged in a violation of the Criminal Conversion statute (IC 35-43-4-3 (a) by Richard L. Kelly receiving commissary funds through his ownership in Leonne LLC; and
  4. signed under penalties of perjury statements related to their relationship with each other, in violation of the criminal offense of Perjury

Sheriff Kelly and Matron Kelly facing Criminal Charges

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – A special prosecutor assigned to Clinton County filed criminal charges against Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly and his wife Ashley, who is both the Jail Matron and Commissary Manager on Friday, March 4.

This action comes a little over one-year after [Clinton County Prosecutor Tony Sommer] contacted the Indiana State Police regarding “allegations of criminal activity by two sworn police officers” according to the probable cause affidavit affirmed by ISP Sgt. Joseph White. The Kellys each face three counts of official misconduct and one count of criminal conflict of interest.

“Given the timeline of events, this is nothing more than a political farse,” stated Sheriff Kelly via a press release. “The items being contested are still in civil litigation in Tippecanoe County Court and are the same contained in the SBOA findings from last year and our subsequent response.

“My wife and I look forward to continuing our efforts to increase public safety with the hiring of new deputies and jail staff, made possible by the nearly $1,500,000 federal inmate project that we brought into the community in 2020. We plan on announcing our medical savings to the county of over $388,000 for 2021 in the next week. We also look forward to expanding our jail programs to a Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP) that will incorporate more services to the recovery of inmates. We will continue our successful programs, saving taxpayers money, reducing recidivism and providing state of the art technology, equipment and training to all members of our agency.”

The three-member Board of Commissioners (Jordan Brewer, Josh Uitts, and Bert Weaver) released a statement via Commissioner Josh Uitts’ Facebook page.

“This is a sad and unfortunate day for Clinton County. Nobody wants to wake up and face a day knowing that criminal charges have been filed against an elected official in the highest role of law enforcement within the community. We take these charges very seriously and are very concerned about the integrity of Clinton County.

“We also understand the criminal justice system and that individuals are innocent until proven guilty; however, these allegations are extremely serious and very disturbing for individuals that are still in their elected office and appointed position. We hope and pray that Clinton County will become stronger and more resilient from this dark day in our county’s history.”

Online court information does not show if the Kellys have been arrested or any future court dates. In Indiana, only coroners have the official capacity to arrest a sheriff.

Civil litigation in Tippecanoe County Court is set to be heard on March 31, 2022.

Sheriff Kelly Sought Legal Ruling On Merit Board Member

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FRANKFORT, Ind. – Just days before Clinton County Commissioner Jordan Brewer made the motion for the Board of Commissioners to file suit against Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly and Jail Matron & Commissary Manager Ashley Kelly, Commissioner Brewer’s father, Kent Brewer, was resolving a lawsuit filed by Sheriff Kelly.

According to court documents, the elder Brewer, a member of the Clinton County Sheriff’s Merit Board, faced a legal claim by Sheriff Kelly filed on August 31, 2020, asking the Clinton County Superior Court to declare Kent Brewer was in violation of Article 2, Section 9 of the Indiana Constitution – “no person may hold two lucrative offices at the same time.” Kent Brewer was also serving as a member of the Frankfort Utility Service Board at the same time. Brewer later filed a motion to dismiss the suit.

On January 27, 2021, Judge Thomas Busch denied Brewer’s motion to dismiss writing:

“1. A member of the Sheriff’s Merit Board may be removed for cause by a declaratory judgment of the Superior Court. Ind. Code 36-8-10-3(b).
2. No person may hold two lucrative offices at the same time. Ind. Const. Art. 2, Sec. 9.
3. The Complaint herein alleges that Defendant holds two lucrative offices, one of which is as a member of the Sheriff‘s Merit Board.
4. If defendant holds two lucrative offices he is in violation of the Constitutional provision.
5. Plaintiff is the Sheriff of Clinton County.
6. Plaintiff, as Sheriff, has standing to bring a declaratory judgment action under Ind. Code 36-8-10-3 (b) seeking defendant’s removal for cause from the Sheriff’s Merit Board.”

According to a court document dated March 3, 2021, the case was dismissed: “Plaintiff, Richard Kelly, in his official capacity as Clinton County Sheriff, and Defendant, Kent Brewer, and as a result of Kent Brewer’s retirement from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Merit Board hereby stipulate to the dismissal of Plaintiff’s claim against Defendant in this action, without prejudice, with each party to bear its own costs.”

The Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 on March 16, 2021, to bring a suit against Sheriff Kelly and Matron Kelly. The suit was filed on March 19, 2021, with the Commissioners scheduling a special meeting on March 25 to discuss the pending lawsuit.

Sheriff Kelly filed a suit on March 19, 2021, against the Commissioners in a Montgomery County Superior Court seeking a declaratory judgment against the Commissioners after the Board voted to amend the county smoking ordinance in an attempt to prohibit inmates from using tobacco-free products at its March 16 meeting.

Sheriff Kelly Ready For Deputies To Serve As School Resource Officers

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As the 2020-2021 school year opens, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office is ready to have deputies serve as School Resource Officers, SRO.

“We are going to work with both schools, Clinton Central and Clinton Prairie, to find the best way for our officers to be in those schools,” said Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly. “We will follow all PPE requirements from gloves, masks, and sanitizer and it is something important for us to continue to do.”

Sheriff Kelly stated the officers are planning to be there.

“So our officers are planning on it and we’re going to move forward with the school year and we will be there.”

The other county schools, Community Schools of Frankfort and Rossville, utilize other personnel for SRO. CSF has a City of Frankfort police officer in each of its buildings while Rossville has its own school district police department.

C & R Catering Honors Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and Frankfort Police Department

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Local law enforcement agencies were honored today by a local catering firm, C & R Catering from Jefferson, with complimentary meals consisting of homemade chicken & noodles, mashed potatoes, and buttered corn.

“They do so much for us, I wanted to say thank you,” said Rodney Mounts owner of C & R Catering.

In all 93 meals were delivered. The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office received 65 meals and the Frankfort Police Department received 28 meals.

Assisting Rodney today was J & T Cleaning and Connecting Point Church.

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