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A southern Indiana sheriff accused of misusing public funds was charged Thursday in Marion County with a felony and three misdemeanors after investigators say he gave false information during a 2024 state police investigation.
Dubois County Sheriff Thomas Kleinhelter faces one count of official misconduct, a Level 6 felony, and three counts of false informing, all Class B misdemeanors, according to new court records.
The charges, announced Thursday by Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, stem from statements Kleinhelter made during a recorded interview with Indiana State Police on Dec. 19, 2024, as part of a broader investigation into his handling of jail commissary funds.
“Public corruption is a priority for this office,” Mears said in a statement. “Charging a sitting sheriff is a serious matter, but public servants, particularly those in law enforcement, have an obligation to maintain the highest standards of integrity. These allegations reflect a fundamental violation of public trust.”
The investigation originated from questions about Kleinhelter’s use of public money, but the criminal charges center specifically on what prosecutors allege were false statements made to investigators.
A message seeking comment from Kleinhelter wasn’t immediately returned.
Kleinhelter gave multiple statements during the December 2024 interview that were contradicted by financial records, documents and other evidence gathered during the probe, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Among them, investigators allege Kleinhelter falsely claimed that golf outings paid for with commissary funds were part of a law enforcement conference; a refund tied to a canceled trip to Dubai was issued as airline credit, rather than returned to his personal credit card; and that he had not appointed his wife as a special deputy.
The official misconduct charge alleges those statements were made while Kleinhelter was acting in his official capacity as sheriff and discussing matters tied to his duties.
The underlying case grew out of a 2024 audit by the State Board of Accounts that identified roughly $78,000 in questionable spending from the Dubois County Sheriff’s Office commissary fund. The audit found expenditures tied to travel, meals and other costs — including expenses related to trips taken with Kleinhelter’s wife, who was not an employee of the department.
The board referred its findings to Indiana State Police, which opened a criminal investigation in mid-2024.
That investigation — spanning months — included a review of financial records, airline transactions, digital evidence and internal documents, as well as interviews with Kleinhelter and others.
Some reimbursements to the commissary fund were made after audit findings were issued, according to the affidavit.
During his interview with investigators, Kleinhelter repeatedly emphasized that he had repaid money identified by auditors.
“I paid the money back when I was told to pay it back,” he said, according to the affidavit. “There was nothing criminal. There was no intent to steal any money.”
At another point, Kleinhelter pushed back on investigators’ suggestions, saying, “If I wanted to steal money, I wouldn’t have told anybody. Now you’re sitting here telling me that I’m a thief and that’s pissing me off.”
Separate from the criminal case, Kleinhelter also faces an ongoing decertification effort before the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board.
The board is weighing whether to revoke his law enforcement certification, which would strip Kleinhelter of policing authority in the state.
That administrative case remains pending with hearing dates scheduled for later this month.
State police fallout
The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported in August 2025 that the state police probe had resulted in the investigator being disciplined after charges were not brought.
Hearon, a 38-year law enforcement veteran with no prior infractions, was formally disciplined by state police in July 2025 in connection to his work on the Kleinhelter case, according to disciplinary records obtained by the Capital Chronicle. The internal investigation launched shortly after Hearon sent the email.
ISP’s internal findings, issued by Superintendent Anthony Scott, stated that Hearon acted “outside the bounds of professional expectations” in his communication with the prosecutor.
He was found by ISP to be in violation of three agency policies, in total: disseminating information not disclosable to the public; conduct “unbecoming” of an officer; and “overbearing and/or oppressive conduct in the discharge of his duties.”
Hearon was suspended without pay for two days; removed from his position as an investigative commander; reassigned to the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center; and barred from teaching at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
ISP spokesperson Ron Galaviz noted that while Hearon was reassigned, “he has not been demoted.”
Hearon is the officer who filed the probable cause affidavit in the new Marion County charges.
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: [email protected].
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