Johnson Co. coroner released from jail after arrest

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Original story below:

(WXIN/WTTV) — Johnson County Coroner Mike Pruitt turned himself in to police and been booked into jail after a warrant was issued this week for his arrest.

Arrest, context

FOX59/CBS4 crews witnessed Pruitt being walked into the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in handcuffs around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. He will now be held in jail on a $3,000 cash-only bond.

The arrest comes after a warrant was issued Tuesday morning, charging Pruitt with seven counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and seven counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor – all misdemeanor charges. Court records show he made an initial appearance last Friday.

After turning himself in, Pruitt was booked and then transferred to the Brown County Jail. This is standard procedure when an inmate may have family members or close friends on the local jail staff. But on Tuesday afternoon, officials said Pruitt was transferred back to Johnson County Jail.

Pruitt is a familiar face in central Indiana, previously holding other high-profile positions in the area. These include deputy chief of the Bargersville Fire Department, public information officer for the Wayne Township Fire Department and a member of the elite Indiana Task Force One.

FOX59/CBS4 broke the story of accusations against Pruitt last month after Sheriff Duane Burgess requested Indiana State Police investigate. Burgess personally served Pruitt with a Protective Order approved and ordered by Special Judge David Riggins out of Shelby County on Aug. 20.

Then, Pruitt was officially charged on Friday, Oct. 10, after being accused of giving young high school students alcohol and cannabis gummies.

Buying alcohol, THC gummies

Court documents detail how Pruitt had a connection with two girls, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, in Johnson County. Police allege that, at least seven times between May 2024 and July 2025, Pruitt gave the girls alcohol. Incidents listed in the filings include:

• Pruitt meeting the girls at the Bargersville firehouse and giving them Surfside vodka seltzers for their prom night
• Pruitt putting Busch Light in the refrigerator of a local poolhouse and texting the girls where to find it
• Pruitt allowing the girls to grab Bud Light from his truck bed while parked at the Johnson County Fairgrounds

Investigators also discovered text messages between Pruitt and one of the girls. This came after the child’s mother became concerned with how much time her daughter was spending with Pruitt. These text messages included:

• Conversations where Pruitt asked the minor what alcohol she liked
• Pruitt describing “drop locations” where the girls could pick up alcohol he bought them
• Photos of Pruitt and the 17-year-old consuming alcohol together
• Pruitt instructing the girl to “destroy texts” regarding him buying her alcohol
• Pruitt giving advice on how to hide beer cans from the girl’s mother

The child’s mother reportedly tried to get Pruitt to stop contacting her daughter, but eventually had to get police involved. This is when Sheriff Burgess served Pruitt a protective order banning any contact between the coroner and the girl.

Then, after his arrest on Tuesday, online court records show Pruitt was served two more no-contact orders. An initial hearing was set for 9 a.m. on Dec. 9 in Hancock Superior Court 2.

Previous court documents previously reviewed by FOX59/CBS4 say Pruitt sent a text on July 16 asking the teen, “Need some gummies?” She texted back saying no because she had “greened out” last night, slang for becoming sick after consuming marijuana.

Pruit then sent another text “with tips on how to avoid greening out when consuming cannabis gummies,” according to the documents. The most recent filings made last Friday make no mention of these interactions.

Aftermath

A statement from the attorney representing the 17-year-old’s family, sent to FOX59/CBS4 on Tuesday afternoon, can be read below:

“On behalf of the victim and her family, I am issuing this statement to address the recent development regarding the criminal charges filed against the suspect involved in the crime against the victim and the subsequent arrest. This has been an incredibly challenging time for the victim and their family. The charges filed and the arrest of the suspect marks a significant step, and we believe it is crucial to allow the legal process to take its course and ensure that justice is served. We kindly ask the media to respect the victim and their family’s privacy during this time. We extend our deepest gratitude to the law enforcement officers, the special prosecutor and court for their dedication and hard work. Their efforts have brought us to this point, and their commitment to their profession is commendable.  We also want to thank the community for supporting us throughout this process.”

– Dustin Huddleston, Attorney representing 17-year-old

A special prosecutor, Ted Adams, has been assigned from Brown County to handle the case against Pruitt.

Coworkers resign

Pruitt recently returned to his job as Johnson County coroner after a 30-day leave of absence. However, several of his coworkers were not there when he came back.

Five deputy coroners, including the chief deputy coroner, submitted their resignations and will not return. The move leaves eight part-time deputy coroners at the office, along with Pruitt and an administrative employee.

The employees who resigned expressed concerns about the accusations against Pruitt, who had not been officially charged at the time. Several of those who resigned said in early October that they don’t think he should return to his job as Johnson County coroner under the circumstances.

In a statement provided by Pruitt to FOX59/CBS4, the coroner said it was disappointing to receive the resignations, but that he understands how “each individual must make the decision that is best for themselves.” His statement can be read below:

“Each of those who resigned has served Johnson County with dedication, and I am grateful for their service,” Pruitt said. “Moving forward, the Johnson County Coroner’s Office remains fully committed to providing thorough and professional death investigations. Our priority continues to be ensuring that families receive the answers they need during the most difficult of times. At this time, the office remains staffed with eight Deputy Coroners, one full-time Administrative Deputy Coroner and myself.”

Previous controversy

This past June, Pruitt was put on administrative paid leave with the Bargersville Fire Department after making a remark at a death scene that “offended other public safety workers.” Bargersville Fire Chief Eric Funkhouser stripped Pruitt of his deputy chief title and told him he could remain with the department in a different role on Aug. 1, but Pruitt declined.

The situation currently under investigation is not connected to what happened in Bargersville. It is still unclear what exactly was said by Pruitt to warrant the fire department’s actions.

This article includes reporting from FOX59/CBS4’s Rafael Sánchez and Sierra Hignite.