News Release

JOHNSON COUNTY — Johnson County Coroner Mike Pruitt was released on a $3,000 bond the day after he turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, Oct. 14 morning, following an arrest warrant on multiple misdemeanor charges related to providing alcohol to minors.

Mike Pruitt

Pruitt was booked into the Johnson County Jail around 11:30 a.m. and later transferred to the Brown County Jail before being returned to Johnson County. He was released Wednesday, Oct. 15 after posting his $3,000 cash-only bond.

Court records show Pruitt faces seven counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and seven counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor. The charges stem from alleged incidents between May 2024 and July 2025 in which investigators say Pruitt gave alcohol – and in one instance, cannabis gummies, to two teenage girls.

Investigators allege that Pruitt supplied the teens with alcohol on several occasions, including at the Bargersville firehouse, a local poolhouse and the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Text messages obtained by police reportedly show Pruitt arranging “drop locations” for the alcohol and advising one teen to delete messages about the exchanges.

The case is being handled by Special Prosecutor Ted Adams of Brown County. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 9 in Hancock Superior Court 2.

Pruitt, a former deputy chief with the Bargersville Fire Department and member of Indiana Task Force One, recently returned to his coroner duties following a leave of absence. Five deputy coroners, including his chief deputy, resigned ahead of his return, citing concerns about the allegations.

In a statement to local media, Pruitt said he was disappointed by the resignations but thanked his former colleagues for their service.

He previously faced discipline in June when he was removed as deputy chief of the Bargersville Fire Department after making an inappropriate comment at a death scene. That incident was unrelated to the current criminal case.