Sheriff investigation could take months

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

An investigation into the office of Putnam County Sheriff Mark Frisbie is expected to take months, according to the lead investigator.

Sgt. Tom McKee of the Lafayette post of the Indiana State Police told the BannerGraphic on Tuesday that he is just getting started on the case, but he has been in Putnam County to work on the case.

"I've been there once a week for the last three weeks," McKee said, "and it's not something that's going to be over any time soon. And unfortunately, I can't say anything about it."

The sheriff's department received an unfavorable audit by the State Board of Accounts, which questioned payment of claims that were unsupported by receipts.

McKee took on the case after Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter sent a letter to Indiana State Police Superintendent Paul Whitesell asking him to open an investigation of Frisbie to determine whether any of the findings in the audit were the result of "criminal wrongdoing."

The sheriff's department has also endured federal scrutiny after an employee of the sheriff's department was arrested and charge with misappropriation of federal grant money.

Prosecutor Bookwalter told the BannerGraphic that he has requested a special prosecutor outside Putnam County to take on the case. He expects to receive word on that request in the near future.

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  • Who pays for the special prosecutor?

    -- Posted by localman on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 4:14 AM
  • Get that "CHEAT" they call the sheriff out of there and put him behind bars like they have done the woman from Roachdale, the woman from Van Bibber and the man from the Sheriff's department. Frisbie is no better nd deserves the same treatment!!!!!!!!

    -- Posted by Innocent on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 6:46 AM
  • "It doesn't sound like they are too concerned with the case. It didn't take them long to investigate Alexander."

    Maybe there is much more to this story than there was with George or maybe this is the root cause behind George's actions? No one really knows until they finish and the results are published.

    I'm sure there is some level of problem going on. It is just more a case of how severe are things. So far I've heard Mark used monies to buy political trinkets to help get elected. This was done to make a paycheck for himself or better his political career. He repaid the money only after he got caught. How is this different from the lady who overpaid herself and then returned the overpayment amount? I don't think it is.

    I think that this is fantastic that the Lafayette post is taking this matter over that way no one can point to ISP and scream that there was favoritism in the outcome.

    -- Posted by CdaleResident on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 1:03 PM
  • Having been close to the department for many years, I can say there is NO anymosity between the department and the state police. Some individuals may have issues, but on the whole, the state police is looked upon as a huge asset and information resource to this county. They are NOT hated by any means!

    -- Posted by longtime resident on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 1:41 PM
  • well if you dig deep enough you're bound to strike water.

    looks like the pros office like to have their name in the paper at anyone's cost,

    stand tall mark these haters don't have a clue.

    i'm wondering who they want in your chair now mark, it's got to be someone's family cause that's how the county works.

    -- Posted by gottokno on Wed, Jan 30, 2008, at 9:29 PM
  • If the Mark Frisbie critics out there think that his office is the only one in the state to have audit problems, think again. These commissary funds are notorious for no receipts, etc. Mark has repaid all the funds expended without receipts, even if they were legitimate expenses. I think the only thing he is guilty of is lax bookkeeping. Other than that, he has been a pretty good sheriff over the years.

    -- Posted by not gullible on Thu, Jan 31, 2008, at 2:51 PM
  • I have wondered why all others charged with theft have not been allowed to just pay back the amount they stole instead of being locked up? The laws should be fair for everyone. Even if the sheriff did pay back what he stole, he is still a thief and should be prosecuted and wait his time in a cell unless he can bond out...just like any other thief.

    -- Posted by jimsgirl on Sat, Feb 2, 2008, at 10:38 AM
  • As mentioned in a previous response...if Frisbie were in the military, he'd been long since thrown in the brig,court martialed & reduced to no rank. On a federal level, if you use a government credit card or funds for anything personal, you will loose your military career.

    Of this you can be certain. The Indiana State Police will handle the investigation with the utmost of integrity. More than we can say for how Frisbie dealt with his position as a public servant.

    It's cut & dry. He used money that didn't belong to him. Period. If I worked for a bank & trimmed some money out & then put it back, would that be any less illegal? Not on your life. He should be behind the bars of his own jail house. Plain & simple.

    -- Posted by klskgermany on Wed, Feb 6, 2008, at 11:57 AM
  • A hundred dollar "business lunch" at Hooters? Yeah right.

    Forgot to repay the fund for the first class tickets to Disney World, er, I mean Orlando, for a year and a half? C'mon, does he really think we're that stupid?

    And he tries to put most of the blame for his troubles on Alexander.

    Need a Sheriffs deputy in the middle of the night? You'll find them sitting out on I70 all night between the 37 and the 45 mile markers making traffic stops hoping to score another big drug bust. Better hope residents in the northern part of the county don't need help in a hurry because it'll take someone awhile to get there from the interstate.

    Why are two high profile recently arrested suspects given trustee duties instead of being locked up where they should be? Oh that's right, because the jail is at capacity with DOC inmates, no room for anyone else.

    Putnam county has lost some very good Deputies in the last couple of years and Frisbies politics have a lot to do with some of them leaving.

    The Sheriffs department is a family affair now and the "good ol' boy" policy is alive and well. But then that's the way it is in most of the county offices and courts.

    -- Posted by duallydriver on Wed, Feb 6, 2008, at 6:34 PM
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