Commissioners call on Sheriff Kelly, Jail Matron Kelly to resign: ‘Public trust has been broken’

FRANKFORT, Ind. — The Clinton County Commissioners are calling on Sheriff Rich Kelly and his wife, Jail Matron Ashley Kelly, to resign from their positions immediately.

This call for the couple to step down comes one day after a judge ruled that Sheriff Kelly and his wife were personally liable for the misappropriation of hundreds of thousands of public funds.

A special judge ordered the Kellys to pay back nearly $330,000 to the state. They’re accused of writing checks worth $219,634.65 from the Jail Commissary Fund and cashing them under their company, Leonne LLC.

Ashley Kelly owned 51% of the company Leonne, while Rich Kelly owned 49%.

Roughly $100,000 of the sum the judge ordered the Kellys to pay back to the state stems from audit costs after the State Board of Accounts opened up an investigation into the Kellys.

“When elected officials and those entrusted with public funds abuse that responsibility, they forfeit their right to continue serving in positions of authority,” said Jordan Brewer, president of the Clinton County Commissioners. “For the good of the Sheriff’s Office and the people of Clinton County, Sheriff Kelly and Matron Kelly should resign immediately.”

The county commissioners have called the judge’s ruling “vindication” after years of litigation. Brewer added that the ruling made clear that “public trust has been broken.”

Sheriff Rich Kelly, meanwhile, has called the allegations against him and his wife “a political farce.”

“This is not about politics—it is about accountability,” said County Commissioner Bert Weaver. “Our residents deserve leaders who uphold the law and safeguard taxpayer dollars. The only path forward is for both Richard and Ashley Kelly to step down.”

It is worth noting that the special judge’s ruling in the case against the Kelly stems from a filing by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office. This is a separate filing from the criminal felony case in which both Kellys face charges of official misconduct and conflict of interest.

Criminal charges were first filed against the Kellys in 2022. The couple has remained in their positions of sheriff and jail matron despite the criminal allegations.

Recently, Ashley Kelly has announced her intention to run for Clinton County sheriff after her husband’s term ends, while Rich Kelly expressed interest at running for Jordan Brewer’s seat on the Clinton County Board of Commissioners.

FOX59/CBS4 has not heard back from the Kellys despite multiple requests for comment.