In the past two weeks, two former Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Department Chiefs have been arrested on multiple felony charges following an Indiana State Police investigation into the theft of thousands of dollars from the fire department where they served.
Early in 2025, Detective Tim Denby, Indiana State Police-Special Investigations Section was requested to investigate allegations that two former fire chiefs of the Montgomery Township Volunteer Fire Department in nearby Jennings County had stolen funds from the department between 2021 and 2024. Detective Denby worked with investigators with the Indiana State Board of Accounts to investigate the thefts.
The investigation determined that while chief of the fire department, Bradley T. Jacobs, 56, of Paris Crossing embezzled over $70,000 from the Montgomery Township Fire Department between January 2021 and January 2023, according to ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles. The investigation also determined that a second chief, Brent A. McInteer, 29, of Bedford embezzled over $40,000 from the fire department between February 2023 and April 2024.
Police say that the two chiefs accessed the department’s bank account and used the department’s credit card to transfer money to their personal accounts and to make multiple personal purchases.
The case was submitted to the Jennings County Prosecutor’s Office and Circuit Court arrest warrants were issued for both Jacobs and McInteer on felony charges of theft (two counts), official misconduct, and corrupt business influence.
Both suspects will make initial appearances in the Jennings County Circuit Court, Wheeles reported.