A 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird, formerly owned by Jamey Noel, sold for $175,000 at auction in May. Photo from by Freije & Freije Auctioneers.

By Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle

CLARK COUNTY — A year after his prison sentence, former Clark County Sheriff Jamey Noel’s belongings have sold for millions toward the $3.1 million in criminal restitution he owes.

The funds – now sitting in court-controlled escrow accounts – have come from sweeping liquidations of Noel’s properties, classic cars, firearms and various luxury items.

But civil judgements against Noel are rolling in, too. In October, he was ordered to pay back more than $900,000 – plus interest – to reimburse the county jail’s commissary fund. Another $122,000 was awarded earlier this month to resolve Noel’s mismanagement of his brothers estate. Numerous other civil cases are still pending and could result in other restitution mandates.

Noel pleaded guilty in 2024 to 27 felony charges – including corrupt business influence, theft, tax evasion and official misconduct – and was ordered to repay millions to New Chapel EMS, Indiana tax officials and state and local law enforcement agencies.

He’s currently serving his 15-year sentence at the New Castle Correctional Annex. Three of those years will be suspended to probation, and he could be released earlier with good behavior and programming credits.

Findings from a lengthy Indiana State Police investigation found that 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.

Jamey Noel reads a prepared statement on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at a Clark County Circuit Court hearing in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Photo by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

The disgraced former sheriff was 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.

More than $2.7 million has been raised so far through a series of auctions and forced property sales overseen by the Clark and Washington county courts, with most of the proceeds held until a special judge determines how to divide the funds among criminal-restitution recipients and claimants in ongoing civil litigation.

Not all of that money is available for restitution due to outstanding mortgages, auction fees and other obligations.

Escrow Accounts Now Exceed $1.2 Million

Two escrow accounts maintained in Washington County hold the bulk of restitution dollars. As of Nov. 20, balances reached $1,171,415.10 in one account and $74,380.97 in another. Those accounts contain auction proceeds and other property-sale revenue tied to Noel’s criminal case.

Clark County also holds escrow funds from multiple pre-judgment property sales – including two Jeffersonville-area homes sold earlier this year.

Any funds deposited after liens, mortgages, taxes and fees will eventually be distributed once the Indiana Attorney General’s civil lawsuit – alleging years of financial misconduct surrounding New Chapel EMS, a nonprofit ambulance service that contracted with Clark and Floyd counties – is resolved.

Court records show judges have so far only authorized limited withdrawals from escrow to cover essential expenses on Noel’s remaining unsold property, the home at 3001 Old Tay Bridge Road in Jeffersonville. In July, Special Judge Roger Duvall approved the release of $2,000 to Lopp Realtors to maintain the property. In November, the judge approved another $1,000 for the same purpose.

Jamey Noel’s 7,982-square-foot Jeffersonville mansion sold for $635,000 in May 2025. Photo by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

Nearly all of Noel’s Indiana real estate has already been liquidated.

Court Approves Separate Payouts

The escrow accounts are also being tapped to resolve civil cases lodged by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, which seek to force Noel to pay back the state agencies he allegedly took public funds from to pay for personal spending.

Duvall ordered last month that Noel must pay a sum of $918,000 as punitive damages, in addition to $122,500 in interest. The judge’s order noted that additional annual statutory interest of 8% will be applied until the judgment is fully satisfied, meaning the total balance owed could top nearly $1.5 million by the time Noel is expected to be released from prison in June 2033.

The amount is in addition to the more than $3 million Noel agreed to pay as part of his criminal case.

Mugs, bags blankets, t-shirts and other Jamey Noel-branded items were sold off in March 2025 as part of a court-sanctioned auction. Photo from Freije & Freije Auctioneers.

On Nov. 6, Duvall approved a $122,000 mediated settlement – including damages and attorney fees – and authorized the money to be released from escrow.

Duvall emphasized that the money originated from the sale of estate property and that paying the children did not come at the expense of victims connected to the New Chapel EMS scheme.

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

His agreement requires him to pay back $2,870,924 in public funds to the Utica Volunteer Firefighters Association, which did business as New Chapel EMS; $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.

It’s up to the court to decide how restitution payments should be prioritized and how to reconcile claims across Noel’s multiple criminal and civil dockets.

Until then, court officials said all remaining escrowed funds will remain frozen except for court-approved costs and payouts.