Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle

A traditionally humdrum meeting detailing motor vehicle issues took a turn Wednesday when Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales spent nearly 15 minutes blasting critical press coverage, repeating the phrase “fake news” a dozen times during what’s typically a brief housekeeping segment.

During the Motor Vehicle Advisory Board meeting, Morales launched into a wide-ranging monologue defending his record, touting trade delegation meetings and visits to county fairs.

“Don’t pay attention to the fake news,” Morales said. “It is time for someone like me to share what we have done.”

He specifically called out WIBC and The Indianapolis Star, accusing the news outlets of misrepresenting his work and accomplishments.

“I’m not going to let the fake news, the fake IndyStar, the fake WIBC, to define me,” Morales said. “They are fake news, and they deserve to be called out.”

Since taking office in 2023, Morales has faced a stream of criticism tied to his international travel, office spending and hiring decisions. Media reports have scrutinized international trips and the use of campaign money to purchase a personal vehicle.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle has additionally reported on multimillion-dollar no-bid contracts awarded by the office, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in spot bonuses approved by Morales.

One of his office’s duties is to oversee the state’s auto dealers. The advisory board weighs in on the contents of forms; methods and procedures for evaluation of the qualifications of applicants for licenses; licensure actions and investigations into unfair practices.

In his remarks, the secretary of state denied using public dollars for international travel and said he personally footed the bill.

“No taxpayer money was used (for) all of this, because I don’t believe in that, unlike what the fake news says,” he said “I pay for it. I (put) my money where my mouth is.”

He also suggested that his engagement with foreign delegations was yielding tangible economic benefits, like car manufacturing jobs.

“When I went to downtown Chicago to the (Japanese) emperor’s birthday … they told me… ‘Indiana is our friend. We will be moving our Honda operations from Mexico to Indiana,’” he said.

“Yet the fake news said … ‘Diego Morales is at some guy’s birthday’ — when that ‘some guy’s birthday’ is moving their Honda operations here,” Morales continued.

He also praised President Donald Trump for implementing tariffs that influenced the move but took partial credit himself.

“I give him 99% because of his tariffs, but I take that 1%,” he said.

Morales also name-dropped visits to Germany — where he said he met with Volkswagen representatives — as well as trips to Taiwan and India.

Traditionally, economic trade and promotion of the state falls to other state agencies, such as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation or Governor’s Office.

More than trade

The secretary of state also touted voter registration drives at county fairs, boasted about his office’s outreach efforts at the Indiana State Fair and his own energy level.

“Tell me who other statewide office holder has crisscrossed all 92 counties within three months. No one,” Morales said. “My work ethic is unmatched. You know who’s the crazy guy who arrives in the statehouse between five and 5:30 a.m.?”

He referenced a new “AutoCheck” tool developed with Experian and said his office is prioritizing consumers by giving them free access to used car information. State taxpayers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the service.

He also said that under his leadership, the office has increased enforcement activity.

“Before I came into office, we were getting more than 1,000 complaints just in one year,” Morales said. “And do you know how many enforcement actions they took? Twenty-one. That is unacceptable.”

Morales further spoke of his leadership, global experience and disdain for criticism.

“You can hate me if you want to. I don’t care. I don’t care! I’m here to get the job done,” he said, emphasizing that he didn’t seek the statewide office seat “to be a puppet.”

“You have never had a secretary of state like me who has a vision, who has studied all over the world, who has different skills and talents to benefit Indiana,” Morales added.

“Let’s look at Diego Morales — his abilities, his skills and talents that he has,” he said. “And you know what? I don’t care if you tell me this bragging. … There is no substitute against hard work. So you know what, I’m fired up and I’m excited, I’m excited to take on the world.”

Former Clark County Sheriff and longtime Republican operative Jamey Noel could spend upwards of a decade in prison after a judge accepted his guilty pleas to more than a dozen felony charges in court Monday. The plea deal brings a close to Noel’s portion of the case — dubbed the largest in agency history by state police — but other investigations are ongoing.

Noel was originally charged with 31 felonies for allegedly misusing money from the fire and EMS departments which he oversaw. He pleaded guilty to 27 of those in August.

Special Judge Larry Medlock, of Washington County, officially accepted Noel’s plea following two hours of victim testimony in open court on Monday. Twenty-one statements were provided, including from members of law enforcement who formerly worked with or under Noel, and by Hoosiers in Clark County and neighboring communities whose lives have been “upended” by the former sheriff’s actions.

In many cases described, it was Noel’s mismanagement of millions in taxpayer dollars which victims said will scar their families and communities for “years to come.”

“As firefighters, first responders and public servants, we take a higher oath. We are held to a higher standard of integrity,” said Roger Montgomery Jr., a first responder who worked for Noel from 2005 to 2011. Montgomery said firefighters and paramedics lacked proper equipment under Noel’s command, and that emergency personnel were tasked with driving Noel’s personal “limousines,” sometimes leaving just one firefighter on duty — and “putting citizens’ lives in jeopardy.”

He said, too, that non-emergency transfers were often prioritized over 911 calls because those runs netted “more money” from Medicare and Medicaid.

“Jamey Noel has betrayed the trust of the public, and any first responder — or anyone else that’s ever worn a badge and taken that oath,” Montgomery continued. “He did so knowingly and willingly for personal gain, and that personal gain was put ahead of patients and the lives of the people that worked for him.”

Noel, who appeared in court shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit and pink handcuffs, was mostly expressionless at the defense table during Monday’s hearing, though he broke into tears after a letter — written by his niece — offered a stark rebuke: “Grandma and grandpa would be very disappointed.”

Noel was also emotional as he read a prepared statement, which mostly emphasized his family’s innocence.

“It’s all my fault. … (My family) were victims of my deceit, like everyone else, and I hope they can forgive me,” Noel said before reciting a Catholic prayer.

Noel agreed to plead guilty to charges of theft, money laundering, corrupt business influence, official misconduct, obstruction of justice and tax evasion. Four charges of ghost employment were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“You’ve tarnished the badge and failed everyone in law enforcement,” Medlock told Noel just before sentencing. The judge said he would have preferred a harsher sentence, but worried that doing so could make the case ripe for an appeal.

Noel now begins a 15-year prison sentence with three of those years suspended to probation. With approval from the judge, Noel will get credit for time served, beginning June 8. Per state law, Noel could shave time off his sentence with good behavior in prison, leaving him to serve roughly nine-and-a-half years behind bars.

Victims address the court

Additionally included in the plea deal is an agreement for Noel to pay back more than $3.1 million in public funds: $2,870,924 to the Utica Volunteer Firefighters Association; $61,190 to the Clark County Sheriff’s Department; $173,155 to the Indiana Department of Revenue; and $35,245 to the Indiana State Police.

Noel is also subject to a $270,000 fine determined by Medlock, who tacked on $10,000 for each guilty count.

Noel agreed to the plea deal nearly a year after he was arrested and Indiana State Police investigators raided his home in southern Indiana.

Noel posted a $75,000 bond in November 2023, but has been held in the Scott County jail since April after Medlock raised his bond to $1.5 million. The case was originally scheduled to go to trial in November.

Using findings from a long-term Indiana State Police investigation, state prosecutors alleged Noel used millions of taxpayer dollars from the Utica Volunteer Firefighters Association and New Chapel EMS to buy cars, planes, vacations, clothing and other personal luxury purchases. Investigators said public funds were also used to pay for college tuition and child support.

The disgraced former sheriff additionally admitted to tasking county employees with jobs related to his personal collection of classic cars. At least 40 vehicles were confiscated by law enforcement, including a bevy of classics, such as two 1970 Plymouth Superbirds, a 1959 Corvette, and 1966 and 1968 Chargers, according to search warrant returns.

Court documents further point to at least $33,000 worth of public funds used by Noel to make contributions to various Republican candidates and campaigns between 2020 and 2023.

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter, who addressed the court on Monday, recalled conversations about money management with Noel as far back as 2015. But Carter said Noel searched for power, control and money, rather than striving to build “public trust.”

“Politics should never be the number one priority … but it was for Jamey,” Carter said.

Noel’s wife, Misty – who has since filed for divorce from her husband — and daughter, Kasey, separately face charges of theft and tax evasion. Both have pleaded not guilty. A Oct. 28 trial date was pushed back Monday afternoon. The court has yet to indicate a new schedule.

What comes next Noel

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said in August that a pardon for Noel would not come from his administration.

The governor — a longtime associate and friend of Noel’s — said that pardoning procedures would require a review of the conviction and sentencing. Such a process, Holcomb added, “would be way after my term concluded … years down the road.”

The governor did not immediately reply to a request for comment after Noel’s sentencing.

Disgraced former Indiana sheriff Jamey Noel pleads guilty to 27 felony charges

Noel led Holcomb’s campaign in 2016 and was part of his transition team. He also served as chairman of Holcomb’s reelection bid and, prior to Holcomb, attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. on a personal invitation from former Gov. Mike Pence, who was Trump’s vice president.

Noel additionally faces several civil cases, including two lodged by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita in an effort to force Noel to pay back the state agencies he allegedly took public funds from to pay for personal spending.

In one lawsuit, Rokita said Noel should be required to reimburse the Clark County jail commissary fund more than $900,000 for “funds misappropriated, diverted, or misapplied”, which were cited in an audit report filed by the State Board of Accounts in February.

Rokita also requested a restraining order that would temporarily restrict Noel from selling real estate properties, stocks and bonds, vehicles, firearms, clothing and jewelry while the attorney general’s legal challenges are pending.

A May court ruling prohibited the Noel family from selling any assets. The civil cases are still ongoing, and the next hearing is set for Nov. 13.

Separately, Noel also faces a lawsuit filed by the children of his deceased brother, Leon. They allege that Noel stole from their inheritance when he managed their father’s estate.

It remains uncertain whether Noel will qualify for public pensions. State officials told the Capital Chronicle last month that Noel’s state police service could qualify him for retirement benefits, but Carter told reporters Monday that Noel previously received only a “separation benefit” because he did not meet the agency’s pension requirements.

Even so, Noel could retain eligibility for benefits at the county level.

Special Prosecutor Ric Hertel, of Ripley County, said in a news briefing after the hearing that he was not sure would could transpire with potential pensions but said he’s awaiting further direction from the court on the restitution process.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. Follow Indiana Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.

Newly-unsealed court documents reveal a former Hoosier congressional candidate’s arrest and ongoing criminal case are connected to allegations of online threats and harassment he made against Indianapolis-based political commentator Abdul-Hakim Shabazz

Gabriel “Gabe” Whitley was arrested on a felony charge in August after Indianapolis police received a complaint that he was “stalking” Shabazz on social media, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Shabazz, who made the report, said he was covering an FBI search warrant of Whitley’s home when the former political candidate “began encouraging violence against him by way of X (Twitter) posts,” the affidavit said.

Police claim Whitley’s posts included statements like “shooting him like a pig” and called for “national law enforcement” to raid Shabazz’s house. Shabazz — who has a prior history of civil litigation against Whitley — said he was “unsure” of what Whitley “is capable of doing,” and further expressed concern for his safety, as well as that of his “family, wife and other loved ones” at the Shabazz residence.

The affidavit alleges Whitley publicly posted a picture of Shabazz’s residence and personal vehicle on social media.

Another photograph allegedly shared online by Whitley depicts a graphic, bloody image of Thomas Crooks, who was shot and killed after he carried out an assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump this summer. “The Secret Service missed (Abdul),” the post said and then gave his address, according to photos in the affidavit.

Detectives indicated in the affidavit they confirmed that Whitley owned the X account @realhonestgabe shortly after speaking with Shabazz, prompting them to apply for a search warrant.

Police said, too, the email account tied to Whitley’s X account was the same used in his candidacy filings.

The address and photo Whitley is accused of posting online were also confirmed to be connected to Shabazz, according to the affidavit.

Indiana congressional candidate faces campaign finance scrutiny

It’s not clear why the court documents were originally under wraps. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office filed for the case to be sealed in early August. The office then sought to reverse that seal last week, and the request was granted by the Marion Superior Court judge presiding over the case.

The FBI searched Whitley’s Indianapolis home in July, but the agency has remained quiet about its investigation, IndyStar reported. Bobby Kern, who also lives at the home and previously ran for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, told the newspaper that agents confiscated Whitley’s electronic devices during their search.

After his arrest, Whitley was released on bail and placed on GPS monitoring, pending further court action. He currently faces a felony intimidation charge, which carries a maximum penalty of two-and-a-half years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Whitley did not respond to the Indiana Capital Chronicle’s request for comment about the FBI search or recent court filings.

Whitley ran in the Republican primary in Indiana’s 7th Congressional District but lost to Jennifer Pace — even though she died after filing her candidacy and before the primary. A GOP caucus has since selected John Schmitz as her replacement on the ballot.

Previously, Whitley declared his candidacy for Evansville mayor in 2022 only to drop that campaign six months later.

The Capital Chronicle reported earlier this year that complaints filed with the Indiana Election Division and the Federal Election Commission accused Whitley’s “Honest Gabe for Congress” committee of excessive campaign contributions and fraudulent donors during his congressional run.

Before that, the Evansville Courier & Press reported Whitley had raised thousands from donors who said they’d never heard from him.

A report filed by the Honest Gabe committee filed with the FEC in July claimed the organization had just more than $329,597 in cash on hand between the reporting period covering January through the end of March, which included a $100,000 “loan” Whitley claims to have made to himself, in addition to an earlier $20,000 loan.

The agency requested additional campaign finance information from Whitley and his Honest Gabe for Congress to “clarify whether or not the candidate used personal funds or borrowed the money from a lending institution or some other source.” A separate letter sent to Whitley in August directed him to “disavow” any personal contributions his 2024 campaign received in excess of the $5,000 limit.

It remains unclear whether the FBI’s investigation is connected to Whitley’s campaign finances, or if separate charges will be filed.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. Follow Indiana Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.

Former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel pleaded guilty to 27 of 31 felony charges in court Monday as part of a plea deal in a massive corruption case that could land him in prison for more than a decade.

Noel, a prominent Hoosier Republican, was charged with more than two dozen felonies for allegedly misusing money from the fire and EMS departments which he oversaw.

A plea agreement submitted to the Clark County Circuit Court shows Noel agreed to plead guilty to charges of theft, money laundering, corrupt business influence, official misconduct, obstruction of justice and tax evasion.

Four charges of ghost employment were dismissed as part of the agreement.

Noel faces a 15-year prison sentence but with three of those years suspended to probation if the deal is approved by the judge, according to the plea agreement. He would get credit for time served, beginning June 8.

Special Judge Larry Medlock, of Washington County, said Monday he wants to hear from victims affected by Noel’s actions before making a decision.

Special Prosecutor Ric Hertel, of Ripley County, said in a news briefing after the plea hearing that a sentencing hearing could take more than a day to allow for victims to testify in open court.

“I think that an agreement to 15 years of sentence — at least proposing to the court and the judge — we’ve come a long way since the initial hearing back in November of 2023,” Hertel said.

“I feel like there’s been a lot of time and a lot of effort and a lot of heartache, trying to take into consideration the folks in Clark County, the victims in Clark County … ,” Hertel continued. “I think that (Noel) going to prison for 12 years, if the judge accepts this agreement, should be a pretty big deterrent for a guy who lived a lifestyle that he lived leading up to this. .. It’s about to be a wake up call if the judge accepts this agreement.”

Plea deal now in judge’s hands

Additionally included in the plea deal is an agreement for Noel to pay back more than $3.1 million in public funds: $2,870,924 to the Utica Volunteer Firefighters Association; $61,190 to the Clark County Sheriff’s Department; $173,155 to the Indiana Department of Revenue; and $35,245 to the Indiana State Police.

Noel agreed to the plea deal nearly a year after he was arrested and Indiana State Police investigators raided his home in southern Indiana.

Noel posted a $75,000 bond in November, but has been held in the Scott County jail since April after Medlock raised his bond to $1.5 million. The case was originally scheduled to go to trial in November.

The rise and fall of Jamey Noel — and the top Indiana Republicans he knew along the way

Using findings from a long-term Indiana State Police investigation, state prosecutors alleged Noel used millions of taxpayer dollars from the Utica Volunteer Firefighters Association and New Chapel EMS to buy cars, planes, vacations, clothing and other personal luxury purchases. Investigators said public funds were also used to pay for college tuition and child support.

The disgraced former sheriff is additionally accused of tasking county employees with jobs related to his personal collection of classic cars. At least 40 vehicles were confiscated by law enforcement, including a bevy of classics, such as two 1970 Plymouth Superbirds, a 1959 Corvette and 1966 and 1968 Chargers, according to search warrant returns.

Court documents further point to at least $33,000 worth of public funds used by Noel to make contributions to various Republican candidates and campaigns between 2020 and 2023.

Noel’s wife, Misty – who has since filed for divorce from her husband — and daughter, Kasey, separately face charges of theft and tax evasion. Both have pleaded not guilty.

On Monday, the judge set a trial date of Oct. 28. Medlock said the trials can be combined if the two sides can agree on how to handle the jury pool.

Other pending cases

Earlier this year, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita lodged two civil cases in an effort to force Noel to pay back the state agencies he allegedly took public funds from to pay for personal spending.

In one lawsuit, Rokita said Noel should be required to reimburse the Clark County jail commissary fund more than $900,000 for “funds misappropriated, diverted, or misapplied”, which were cited in an audit report filed by the State Board of Accounts in February.

Rokita also requested a restraining order that would temporarily restrict Noel from selling real estate properties, stocks and bonds, vehicles, firearms, clothing and jewelry while the attorney general’s legal challenges are pending.

A May court ruling prohibited the Noel family from selling any assets. The civil cases are still ongoing.

Medlock said Monday the “job is not finished.” Although he would not say for certain, the prosecutor seemed to leave the door open for other charges to be filed against additional individuals associated with Noel.

Clark County councilperson John Miller and former councilperson Brittney Ferree, who Noel shares a child with, are the latest to face charges in relation to the corruption case. Both are accused of voting in favor of funding appropriations for the fire and EMS service while they received personal benefits paid for by the service’s funds.

Miller and Ferree were arrested last week and both pleaded not guilty in court Monday morning. Medlock set a pretrial hearing for February.

Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. Follow Indiana Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X.