Ex-trustee Taletha Coles turns herself in at the jail to begin serving her sentence
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Former Fairfield Township Trustee Taletha Coles arrived Thursday morning at the Tippecanoe County Jail to begin serving her 180 days in jail, as per the sentenced handed down on Jan. 22 for convictions of two felony counts of official misconduct, one felony count of conflict of interest and one misdemeanor count of tax exemption fraud.
With good behavior while in jail, Coles could be released as early as 90 days.
When she's released, she'll begin serving 180 days on community corrections. Tippecanoe Superior 1 Judge Randy Williams suggested that she be allowed to serve that portion of her sentence on in-home detention. But that was a suggestion. Community corrections may place Coles in the program that best serves the agency's purpose.
After she finishes with community corrections, she'll be on probation for three years and be required to do 180 hours of community service. She also will begin paying $42,380.18 in restitution to the Fairfield Township taxpayers, whom the Indiana State Board of Accounts estimated lost more than $138,000 from Coles' unauthorized use of their money.
A grand jury indicted Coles in November 2022 on 42 charges.
She pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2023, to three felonies and one misdemeanor.
The day she pleaded guilty, she posted readers' comments on the Journal & Courier's Facebook page, stating she did not break the law.
Reach Ron Wilkins at rwilkins@jconline.com. Follow on Twitter: @RonWilkins2.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Ex-trustee turns herself in at jail to begin serving her sentence
