A Jennings County Grand Jury indicted Jennings County Sheriff William K. ‘Kenny’ Freeman, Jr, 60, of North Vernon, Indiana on June 4 on multiple charges following a six-month investigation by ISP Detective Tim Denby, into the theft of campaign signs.
According to ISP Sgt. Stephen Wheeles, 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 to include 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 to both political candidates related to the placement of their signs.
The Grand Jury indicted Freeman, a two-term Republican, on two misdemeanor counts of theft, ad felony counts of official misconduct, obstruction of justice, perjury.
The arrest warrant on Freeman was served June 8 when he turned himself in at the Ripley County Jail and was subsequently released on his own recognizance. It is unclear what the felony charges will have on his ability to remain as sheriff.