(Starke County, IN) - The Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA) has released findings of a special investigation involving financial mismanagement at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.
In February of last year, reports surfaced of misused funds in the department’s commissary account. The SBOA did an extensive evaluation of activities between January 1, 2019 and May 31, 2023. Their investigation implicated former Jail Matron Pam McDonald, former Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin, and others in dubious disbursements totaling over $63,000.
In their 34-page report, the Board of Accounts pointed out numerous examples of lacking checks and balances in the finances of the Sheriff’s Department. It also found ineffective internal controls within the County Auditor’s office.
Among the investigated items were travel expenses for non-county employees to conferences, along with bank and credit accounts opened by county employees with little or no oversight. McDonald allegedly purchased items from Amazon, such as a reclining massage chair, which were delivered to her home. She also allegedly submitted duplicate invoices, which the county auditor paid twice, and McDonald ran fundraisers for the Sheriff’s Department without properly documenting the finances.
The Board of Accounts has requested McDonald to return over $20,000 that she transferred from the commissary fund to her personal PayPal account. She was terminated in May of last year. The SBOA also requested reimbursement of just over $1,800 for unauthorized travel expenses incurred by former Sheriff Dulin.
The investigation itself cost over $40,000, for which Starke County is now liable. According to the SBOA, “this was an extensive and labor-intensive investigation” due to the poor accounting of county officials. County insurance may be able to cover the expenses.
The Starke County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, and U.S. Attorneys are now looking into the matter, as well.
Click HERE to read the full report.
