A four-month investigation by the Indiana State Police Organized Crime and Corruption Unit ended in the arrest of the former Patriot, Indiana, fire chief on charges of theft and official misconduct related to money from the Patriot Volunteer Fire Department.
A news release from the Indiana State Police said they were contacted in October, 2018, to investigate after an audit by the Indiana State Board of Accounts discovered funds missing from the Patriot Volunteer Fire Department in Switzerland County, Indiana.
During the course of the investigation, Detective Tim Denby learned that the thefts took place between 2014 and 2018 when Gordon W. Turner Jr., 45, of Patriot, was the fire chief.
More than $28,000 was taken from the fire department’s bank accounts and, police discovered, used to pay bills for Turner and for other personal gain. Police turned over the results of the investigation to the Switzerland County Prosecutor’s Office.
On Feb. 22, Turner was arrested without incident on four felony charges of theft and four felony charges of official misconduct.
Turner is in Switzerland County Jail pending his initial court appearance.
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