Henry County sergeant faces fraud charges

Court records value the fraud at between $750 and $50,000. Ryan Burns, 41, of Rushville, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for low-level felony charges of fraud, official misconduct, and ghost employment. He also faces a misdemeanor theft charge. No hearing has been set yet in Henry Circuit Court 3.

Burns is listed as out of custody in Indiana Department of Correction records. Media reports indicate he was accused of receiving pay for hours he did not work. Sheriff John M. Sproles said in a Facebook post that Burns resigned from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, though the statement did not specify when the resignation took effect.

The sheriff’s office began reviewing records related to Burns in early May. The review focused on his participation in Operation Pull Over, a federally funded traffic safety initiative run by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Federal grant money pays officers overtime to conduct high-visibility patrols during high-risk travel periods to find drunken drivers or those not wearing seatbelts.

Sproles said the review found discrepancies that raised concerns about possible criminal conduct. The sheriff referred the matter to Indiana State Police for an independent investigation. Burns was placed on administrative leave on May 13, according to the statement. State police have not issued a statement on the arrest.

Judge David McCord found probable cause and issued the arrest warrant on Tuesday. The court record notes that a special prosecutor is handling the case. Sproles said his office takes concerns about deputies’ conduct seriously and pursues accountability regardless of rank.