Charges filed in theft from development group

The former associate director of an eastern Indiana economic development group faces felony charges in a $150,000 embezzlement that has threatened the agency's future.

Henry County prosecutors filed theft and other charges against Troy Collier, 32, of Muncie. State police say Collier stole the funds from New Castle-based Eastern Indiana Development District though credit card misuse and withdrawals from the agency's checking account from 2008 to 2010.

The district receives money from state contracts and fees from Henry, Randolph, Rush, Union and Wayne counties.

Wayne County Commissioner Denny Burns, a member of the development district's board, said he's not certain the agency can survive financially. He said it has a $100,000 insurance policy that should reimburse the district for that amount if Collier is convicted.

"If we get the $100,000, that would save the organization, but we have to survive until we get it. It could take some time before this is settled in court," Burns told the Palladium-Item of Richmond.

Nancy Kinder, who has been the district's director for 10 years, said that she's pleased the investigation is completed and that the agency is moving "full speed ahead."

She said last month that the agency had received a $100,000 line of credit to help pay its back expenses.

Collier, who was fired in January after five years with the agency, was being held in the Henry County Jail. Court records didn't list an attorney for him on Friday.

State police said Collier told a detective he had taken out credit cards in the agency's name to help establish a credit history for it to qualify for loans. He told police his plan was to buy items and pay the resulting credit card bills with his own money, but that things got "out of hand" and became "a mess," The Star Press of Muncie reported.

Court documents say Collier is accused of using the credit cards to make trips to Wisconsin to meet a woman he had met on a dating website, buy silver coins on Ebay and make numerous purchases at a Muncie Best Buy store, including video games, computer equipment, a home theater system, a 55-inch television and a stove.