State police investigate allegations against Vigo County special deputies

TERRE HAUTE -- At the request of the Vigo County Prosecutor's Office and Vigo County Sheriff Greg Ewing, ISP Detectives from the Putnamville Post are currently investigating allegations against as many as four Vigo County Sheriff's Office special deputies.

On Aug. 23, the non-payroll special deputies were allegedly performing traffic control functions within the Vigo County Fairgrounds for an event. The special deputies are alleged to have issued citations to motorists for various offenses.

The motorists were reportedly told a cash payment in lieu of the citations being submitted to the court was an option. Some of the victims are alleged to have taken the cash option and then summoned law enforcement to report the improprieties.

The special deputies were reportedly wearing tan deputy sheriff T-shirts, driving their personal vehicles with the sheriff signs attached to the exterior and utilizing red and blue lights.

If anyone was approached by the special deputies inside the Vigo County Fairgrounds, written a traffic citation, and offered the chance to pay cash to the officers in lieu of the tickets being submitted to the court, they are urged to contact ISP Detective Tony Guinn, Putnamville Post, at 765-653-4114.

Some of the victims reside outside the State of Indiana, so this investigation is expected to take three to four weeks before the report is submitted to the Vigo County Prosecutor's Office. The prosecutor's office will then review the case and determine any possible charges.

The alleged acts were not endorsed by Vigo County Sheriff Greg Ewing and did not involve any of the full-time payroll deputies. These alleged acts occurred contrary to the professional standards of the Vigo County Sheriff's Office.

The investigation is ongoing no other information can be released.