Press Releases
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
August 23, 2010
Body Safety Classes for Sullivan County Elementary Students
The Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office in conjunction with the Sullivan County Probation Department and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department will be sponsoring “The Body Safety Program” directed by retired Indianapolis Police Department Sergeant Terry Hall. This program has children repeat that their body parts belong to them and that even though they are kids they have the right to say “no” to a touch on the private parts of their bodies for no good reason.
The program is not designed to instill fear into children, but to empower them. We do not want children worrying about whom to watch out for, just to have control over their own bodies no matter who the suspect is.
At all levels, Sgt. Hall’s program is designed to tastefully teach the proper names of the private parts. The reason for teaching proper terminology is to circumvent the major reason that children do not tell when they are molested; embarrassment. There have been occasions when a child has told an adult about an improper touch and was not understood because the adult was not in tune with the terms the child was using. Using proper body part names sets this program apart from other safety programs. Although the initial response to proper names was a concern, both parents and staff are now realizing the importance of the clear message. Many times the hug a child receives at school is the only hug that a child receives a day and we don’t want to discourage that from happening. Naming the private parts avoids any chance for confusion.
August 30, 2010, Sgt. Hall will provide a day of training available to anyone who works with children. This training will be provided at no cost for anyone who lives or works in Sullivan County. Anyone outside of Sullivan County may attend at the rate of $50.00. This training will include a certificate of completion of training for 8 credit hours. Contact Marie Watson at (812) 268-6008 for more details or to register for this training opportunity.
Also on August 30, 2010, Sgt. Hall will conduct an information session for parents, teachers and other community members at Sullivan High School’s Auditorium from 7-8 p.m. This program is not only to preview the children’s program but to educate the parents and others of the indicators of molestation. Parents should attend so they can role-play with their children at home and continually reinforce this message. The program will also dispel the myths surrounding molestation.
August 31, September 1st and 2nd, Sgt. Hall will present grade specific presentations of “The Body Safety Program” for students in grades K-6 in all Sullivan County Schools. Programs will be presented in the following blocks; K-2, 3-4 and 5-6 at each school.
It is important to re-emphasize that this is a program to empower children and not frighten them. Many molesters have made the statement “If parents don’t want to educate their children about molestation, we’ll be glad to explain it to them.” Ignoring the problem of child molestation has never stopped molestation from occurring. Children are our nation’s greatest resource. Let us all work together to protect them.
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June 16, 2010
Sullivan County Jury Convicts Woman of Trafficking with an Inmate
On June 16th, it took eight women and four men less than 45 minutes to convict Elizabeth Puckett, of Indianapolis, of bringing marijuana into the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility and giving it to inmate Willie Booker.
During the two day jury trial, prison staff testified they noticed the pair acting suspicious in the visiting area. As Puckett was about to leave, a staff member saw Puckett put a bundle of marijuana into Booker’s pants as the two hugged.
While both Puckett and Booker denied Puckett ever gave Booker any marijuana, Sullivan County Prosecutor Bob Hunley and Deputy Prosecutor Brent Stringer proved to the jury otherwise.
“We are pleased with the verdict. Drug trafficking is a big problem that poses a danger to the inmates and the staff,” Hunley said.
Puckett faces up to 8 years in prison for trafficking with an inmate, a class C felony. She will be sentenced on July 15, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
Booker is serving multiple sentences in the Indiana Department of Correction for armed robbery with an earliest possible release date of 2026.
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March 18, 2010
WVCI inmate pleads guilty to Life without Parole
35-year-old Michael Gibson, a former inmate at the Wabash Valley Correctional Institute (WVCI), pled guilty today to the strangulation murder of his cellmate, Robert Crane. The murder occurred on March 21, 2008 at WVCI
Gibson received a sentence of Life without Parole
“We’re very glad to have a murder conviction and are pleased with the sentence of Life without Parole” said Sullivan County Prosecutor Bob Hunley.
If you have any questions contact Prosecutor Bob Hunley at 812-268-6008 .
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March 8, 2010
A Sullivan County Man Pleads Guilty to Murder and Arson 
35-year-old Gregory Hale of Shelburn pled guilty in Sullivan Superior Court on March 8th, 2010.
He admitted to strangling his ex-girl friend, Jennifer Peak, who is also the mother of his child.
The murder took place at her home near Carlisle on June 21st, 2009. He also pled guilty to setting the victim’s home and vehicle on fire.
Hale received 45 years in prison.
“We’re glad to have a murder conviction. Our office worked closely with the victim’s family in resolving this case. We hope Mr. Hale’s guilty plea will bring some peace and closure to the family,” said Sullivan County Prosecutor Bob Hunley.
If you have any questions contact Prosecutor Bob Hunley at 812-268-6008 .
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September 14, 2009
Prosecutor to Extend Hours to Better Serve Public
The Sullivan County Prosecutor’s office will now be open continually from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. In the past, the Prosecutor’s office closed from noon to 1:00 p.m.
“It’s my hope that remaining open will allow more people to come in and pick up forms or get issues resolved during their lunch hours, rather than having to take time off work.” said Prosecutor Bob Hunley. “Hopefully this is another way we can better serve the citizens of Sullivan County”.
The extended hours were brought up during a recent County Council budget meeting.
“The Council suggested the office hours be extended, and I agreed that it was a great idea” Hunley said. “We have recently launched a website to make our office more readily available to the public. The new extended hours just keeps with that theme”.
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September 11, 2009
Longtime Investigator Retires from the Prosecutor’s Office
On Sept. 11, 2009 the investigator for the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office retired ending a law enforcement career that spanned 53 years.
Joe Fitch joined the Prosecutor’s Office in 2002. Through the years he assisted with all types of investigations including murder, arson and child molestation. His most recent work played a crucial role in the Alanar securities fraud case, which led to the arrest of Alanar owner Vaughn Reeves and his three sons. They now await trial for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from thousands of investors.
“Joe has been a valuable asset to our office. I appreciate his talents, dedication and wisdom. He will truly be missed.”
Fitch began his law enforcement career back in 1956 when he became a trooper with the Indiana State Police. He continued work with ISP until 1985. Fitch has also served as the Sullivan County Sheriff.
At a recent law enforcement meeting, Sullivan County Prosecutor, Bob Hunley presented Fitch with a plaque in appreciation of his long time commitment to law enforcement in Sullivan County.
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June 30, 2009
FORMER ALANAR, INC. EXECUTIVES CHARGED IN MASSIVE AFFINITY FRAUD CASE
Charges allege former Sullivan, Indiana pastor and three sons preyed on church members — Press conference to be held today at 2:30 p.m. in Sullivan
(Sullivan, IN) – Former pastor Vaughn Reeves and his sons, Chip, Chris and Josh, face 10 separate felony counts each involving violations of the Indiana Securities Act. The charges allege the four engaged in a multi-million dollar, faith-based affinity fraud through the use of a modified Ponzi scheme. The charges were filed today in Sullivan Circuit Court by Sullivan County Prosecutor Robert Hunley II. The investigation was a collaborative effort by the Secretary of State’s Prosecution Assistance Unit, the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s office and the Indiana State Police. Each of the Reeves could face up to eight years in prison per charge if convicted.
“This case goes far beyond simple theft,” said Secretary Rokita. “The Reeves allegedly targeted their victims through their faith, and then exploited their religious convictions in order to hide their elaborate Ponzi scheme from potential investors.”
According to court documents, the Reeves allegedly committed affinity fraud by duping investors into buying bonds that raised at least $120 million. The stated purpose for the vast majority of the bonds was to supposedly finance church construction and expansion. However, the Reeves allegedly shuffled this money among various accounts and stole approximately $6 million for themselves in the process.
“This is a day a long time in the making. I’m glad to hold Vaughn Reeves and his sons accountable. People trusted their life savings to these men. Investors felt they were helping to build churches, not buy the Reeves expensive homes, fancy cars, airplanes and swimming pools. The Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to bringing these men to justice,” said Prosecutor Hunley.
Secretary Rokita and Prosecutor Hunley will hold a press conference to discuss these charges today at 2:30 p.m. in the Circuit Court Room on the 3rd Floor of the Sullivan County Courthouse located at 100 Courthouse Square in Sullivan, Indiana.
The Reeves operated Alanar, Inc., as the umbrella company for their scheme. The charges allege that the Reeves violated securities laws by misapplying and misappropriating money from bond repayments made by churches issuing the bonds. The Reeves were also allegedly misappropriating money from people purchasing bonds, often members of the same church as was issuing the bond.
Alanar management created training materials to distribute to church members, who were encouraged to sell bonds to their fellow church members. The materials relied heavily on the religious convictions of the victims. For example, the church members were trained to open the sales call with a prayer, quote Bible scripture during sales calls and to “never sell the facts, sell warm stewardship and the Lord.”
The allegations suggest the Reeves engaged in their scheme over the course of at least five years. By illegally moving money among bond accounts, the Reeves concealed the true rate of default on Alanar bonds from investors. Thousands of investors, predominantly Hoosiers, have been financially devastated by the Reeves’ alleged conduct.
In an effort to keep the victims informed of the status of the case, Secretary Rokita and Prosecutor Hunley have each set up Alanar information pages on the Web. For more information visit www.sullivancountyprosecutor.com and click on the “Alanar Information” section, or go to www.in.gov/sos/alanar.
The charges described are merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
June 24, 2009
Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office Goes Online
The Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office unveils its new website, in an effort to better serve the community.
The website provides information concerning child support, victim’s assistance and the most wanted criminals in our area.
Residents can also find out about infraction deferral and pretrial diversion programs.
For those who can’t get into the Prosecutor’s Office, several downloadable forms are available.
“Our goal with this website is to help community members easily get the services they need. While we always encourage people to call or stop by our office, that’s not possible for everyone. With just a click of the mouse, residents can get answers to many of their questions 24 hours a day, 7days a week,” says Sullivan Prosecutor Bob Hunley.
The website lists both residential and outpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs as well.
“The Prosecutor’s Office encourages people to seek help for their addictions, so they don’t become part of the criminal justice system,” says Hunley.
The website’s Community Outreach page lets community organizations, churches and schools know the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s office is more than willing to help them educate the public on everything from drug awareness to identity theft and fraud. All they need to do is make a request.
The website even features links to the Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, and hundreds of historical Sullivan County pictures.
There’s even a virtual tour of the courthouse.
“We looked at several websites and put together the ideas we felt were the ‘best of the best.’ We hope residents find the site both useful and informative,” says Hunley.
You can visit the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s website at:
www.sullivancountyprosecutor.com
For more information contact Bob Hunley at 812-268-6008 or
roberthunley@sullivancountyprosecutor.com
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