Jennings County Sheriff charged in theft case

NORTH VERNON, Ind.— A Jennings County Grand Jury was convened and indicted Jennings County Sheriff William K. “Kenny” Freeman, Jr., 60, of North Vernon, on multiple charges following a six-month investigation into the alleged theft of campaign signs on Thursday, June 4.

In November 2025, Troopers from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post were contacted by a candidate for Jennings County Sheriff, who reported that he had campaign signs stolen from locations along area roadways.

As a result, he obtained item locators (GPS devices) and placed a locator in one of his signs. When the sign was subsequently stolen, he observed that the locator indicated the sign was in a dumpster on Freeman’s property.

Troopers responded to Freeman’s property and retrieved the sign and the item locator from Freeman’s dumpster. While at the property, other campaign signs were observed in the dumpster, including a sign for a Jennings County Judge candidate, who also reported having campaign signs stolen.

Soon after troopers located the stolen signs in Freeman’s possession, Freeman issued a complaint and summons (ticket) to both political candidates related to the placement of their signs.

At the conclusion of the investigation, given that this matter involved a current Sheriff, a request was made for both a Special Prosecutor and a Judge. The Dearborn and Ohio Counties Prosecuting Attorney, Lynn Deddens, was appointed along with Ripley County Superior Judge Jeffery Sharp.

The case was presented to a Jennings County Grand Jury on Thursday, June 4. The Grand Jury reviewed the case and indicted Freeman on the following charges: 

Official Misconduct (Level 6 Felony)   

Obstruction of Justice (Level 6 Felony)   

Perjury (Level 6 Felony)   

Theft - 2 counts (Class A Misdemeanor) 

The arrest warrant on Freeman was served Monday morning, June 8, when he turned himself in at the Ripley County Jail and was subsequently released on his own recognizance. The Defendant waived his right to have an Initial Hearing on the charges. The Court will set a pre-trial hearing.