Delaware County Treasurer Reaches Plea Agreement, Resigns From Office

About ten months ago, the Delaware Co. Prosecutor filed a 47-count indictment against the county's treasurer, John Dorer (D), in which he accused the office-holder of theft, conversion, official misconduct and failing to properly deposit public funds. The original multi-felony count indictment seemed like over-kill. Dorer was accused of stealing just a paltry sum of $80.

Today, Dorer went into court and agreed to plead guilty to just one official misconduct charge, a low-level felony eligible for alternative sentencing under which the felony will be reduced to a misdemeanor if he satisfies the terms of his probation. That sole remaining charge relates to his failure to timely deposit county funds 44 times over a 5-year period. In exchange for the plea agreement, Dorer agreed to resign his office effective immediately as part of the settlement of a civil lawsuit the county filed against him last year.

Delaware County Prosecutor Files 47-Count Indictment Against County's Treasurer

Accused Of Stealing $80
Delaware Co. Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold has filed a 47-count indictment against Delaware County Treasurer John Dorer, a Democrat, charging him with theft, conversion, official misconduct and failing to properly deposit public funds. According to Fox59 News, 46 of the 47 charges against Dorer are felonies. The Indiana State Board of Accounts' audits of Dorer's office have turned up numerous discrepancies in recent years. According to the Pharos-Tribune, the theft charge involves a paltry sum of $80 he allegedly took in cash from the office. I double-checked. That's not a typo. Fox59 News reports that the State Board of Accounts also asked Arnold, a Republican prosecutor, to file a civil suit aimed at seeking Dorer's removal from office, which has also occurred. Photo at left shows Dorer with former Indiana State Democratic Party Chairman Ann DeLaney. Whatever Dorer did or didn't do, I can't believe it comes close to matching the large theft of public funds being committed by numerous other public officials in plain sight around this state in exchange for political contributions and other favors.