Indiana county sheriff’s wife announces run for sheriff amid ongoing investigation into financial misconduct

CLINTON COUNTY, Ind. — The wife of the current Clinton County Sheriff announced her plans to pursue her husband’s role Friday night.

Ashley Kelly, who is married to Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly, announced on Facebook that she intends to run for county sheriff. A portion of the post can be viewed below:

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends and Family-

I am ecstatic to share with all of you my intent to run for Sheriff of Clinton County. I look forward to continuing the great programming I have implemented over the past several years under Rich’s administration.

I promise to continue seeking funding and revenue for our community, as well as programs and services to rehabilitate offenders! We will continue our partnership with the ICAC Taskforce to stop online child predators from harming our kids. I will continue updating technology and equipment for the entire agency to ensure the needs of the community are met and the safety of our officers prioritized.”

The announcement arrives as the couple remains at the center of a state investigation into charges of official misconduct and conflict of interest.

According to previous reports, an investigation was launched three years ago when a special prosecutor filed multiple charges against the couple related to their use of jail commissary funds.

Previous reporting indicated that the State Board of Accounts reportedly found checks that had been issued from the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office jail commissary to Ashley and Leonne, LLC. The limited liability corporation, which is owned by the couple, was created roughly two months before Rich stepped into the role.

The SBOA reported at the time that the payments reached a total of $219,634.65 between January 2019 and September 2021.

Online court records indicate that Ashley is set to appear in Clinton Circuit Court for a jury trial on April 8.