Hartley is facing one count of Theft as a Class D Felony after he reportedly admitted to taking $6,342 from an evidence storage locker at the Winamac Police Department. Hartley, a former Winamac police officer, reportedly explained to Police Chief Michael Buchanan that he stole the money so he could afford a dental procedure for his mother to prevent a bacterial infection. He allegedly stated that during the last week in March, he found the evidence locker key in Chief Buchanan’s office and took the envelope. He returned every cent of the money on Saturday, April 6 in a sealed envelope and spoke with Buchanan about the incident that following Monday.
The money had been collected as evidence after a fatal accident involving Jamie Sheets of Winamac in February.
Hartley has not been incarcerated in this case. He was summoned to appear in Pulaski Superior Court on this charge which was eventually moved to Pulaski Circuit Court after Superior Court Judge Pat Blankenship recused himself from the case. Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn will preside over Hartley’s entry of plea and sentencing hearing on Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. ET.
