Gibson County Sheriff's Office - Princeton, Indiana️ 1 day ago

On Monday, March 2, 2026, I received a message from former Special Deputy Chuck Frederick alleging that firearms belonging to his wife were “missing from the ‘secure’ evidence room.” He further claimed that I would “sweep these missing weapons under the rug.” Within minutes of sending that message, a screenshot was taken and circulated on social media. After the screenshot began circulating, the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on our official Facebook page acknowledging that an allegation of missing evidence had been shared online by a former employee. Mr. Frederick was employed as a Special Deputy from May 22, 2023, to September 8, 2025, serving primarily in civil process. I will not speculate on his motives for making these accusations. However, it is important for the public to know that Mr. Frederick was released from employment after lying during an internal investigation that began before August 2025. During that same investigation, in August 2025, Mr. Frederick approached me claiming that firearms belonging to his wife had not been returned. In response, I immediately directed Detective Sergeant Roger Ballard and Evidence Clerk Sergeant Tim Coomer to conduct a thorough search of the evidence room. In May 2025, the Sheriff’s Office and Jail were relocated from the 1948 and 1989 facilities to the new Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center. As part of that move, all evidence was transferred to the new evidence room, with Sgt. Coomer organizing items in approximately the same locations as before. Because of the large volume of evidence involved, a random audit was performed during the transition: Sgt. Ballard selected ten cases, and Sgt. Coomer verified status of the evidence for each case. No discrepancies were found during that audit. However, the firearms referenced by Mr. Frederick were not located during the subsequent targeted search. Sgt. Ballard and Sgt. Coomer then initiated an investigation to determine the history of those items. Sgt. Ballard used available resources from the ATF to trace at least one of the firearms, discovering that it had been pawned at some point. The individual in possession of that firearm had lawfully purchased it from another party. This confirmed that the firearms existed outside the Sheriff’s Office and had not been destroyed. What we still needed was documentation to verify that the firearms had been properly released. That confirmation came last night, when Sgt. Coomer located the previous evidence clerk’s file containing written documentation showing that the firearms in question were released to Jana Frederick in 2014. For clarity: On December 4, 2013, Ms. Frederick was the victim of a serious crime involving firearms. A deputy investigated, seized evidence, and made an arrest. That evidence was held until it was eligible for release and was returned to Ms. Frederick on November 6, 2014. The claim that these weapons were “missing” made more than a decade later is not supported by any factual evidence. Before closing, I want to address the broader issue of recent social media activity targeting this office and, more specifically, individual deputies and staff members. In the past two weeks, the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office has been the subject of multiple accusations online. In only one instance the allegation that one of my vehicle’s had an expired temporary registration tag was substantiated. As a result that vehicle was pulled from service until it could be properly plated. These attacks do not just undermine the Sheriff’s Office—they damage trust, create division, and unjustly target the hardworking men and women who serve this community with integrity every day. As your Sheriff, I will always defend the reputation and character of the personnel who protect this county. Whatever the motives may be behind these false public claims, I will meet them directly, transparently, and in the same public forums where the misinformation is being spread. The people of Gibson County deserve the truth, and they will continue to get it from me and from this office. Finally, We are actively working to determine how the pawned weapon was passed around since being released from our custody. Let me be clear if this investigation leads to criminal charges we will file them. Further civil litigation is also a possibility as this investigation continues.