Delaware County treasurer faces 46 felony counts

The defense attorney for a central Indiana county treasurer jailed on official misconduct charges said the official denies any wrongdoing.

Delaware County Treasurer John Dorer surrendered for arrest Monday after prosecutors filed charges that allege theft, official misconduct and 44 counts of not depositing public funds on time.

Defense attorney, Donald McClellan told The Star Press that Dorer "vehemently denies" the allegations and believes he did nothing wrong.

The prosecutor is seeking to have Dorer removed from office. Most of the counts charge Dorer with failing to deposit public funds within one business day, as required by law. The theft count alleges he stole $80 in cash.

Dorer is jailed under $400,000 bond. McClellan said he will request a bond reduction during a Wednesday court hearing.

Dorer faces a two-pronged effort to remove him from office: Conviction on just one of the 46 felony counts he faces would bar him from holding elective office, while a civil lawsuit filed by county Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold also seeks his removal for interfering with state examiners, not following their directions and not maintaining accounts as directed by the State Board of Accounts.

The state board requested Arnold "initiate legal action to remove John Dorer from office as Delaware County Treasurer," the prosecutor said Monday in a news release.

Most of the counts allege the 50-year-old Dorer was late in depositing public funds, ranging from $1,917 to $314,161, within one business day, as required by law, Arnold said. The lone theft count alleges he stole $80 in cash from the treasurer's office. In addition to the felony counts, he also faces a single misdemeanor count of conversion, or exerting unauthorized control over the property of another person.

"As a result of Dorer's alleged continued actions and inactions, the State Board of Accounts was unable to complete a financial audit for the year 2012. Accordingly, the State Board of Accounts in unable to state the financial position of Delaware County. Essentially, they were unable to give an opinion as to whether or not any public funds are missing from the County's treasury," Arnold said.

Dorer, a Democrat, was elected county treasurer in 2008 and re-elected in 2012.

A message seeking comment was left at a Muncie-area home telephone listing with the same name as Dorer.