By KYLE BLOYD
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
A Carmel Police Department officer has resigned after being accused of using a Georgia man’s name and picture to disparage a Clay County sheriff candidate and his wife, the Clay County prosecutor, in a Facebook chatter group.
Click here to see the court documents describing the charges filed.
Andrew Longyear, 32, faces a felony charge of identity deception and a misdemeanor charge of conversion. Longyear was formerly a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office prior to joining the Carmel Police Department in June 2021. He was charged following an investigation by Indiana State Police and the appointment of a special prosecutor from Sullivan County.
According to court documents acquired by News 8, a Georgia man contacted police in Indiana when he learned someone was using his name and profile picture in a Facebook group called “Brazil Indiana Chatter.”
The man told investigators that the posts included negative remarks about Josh Clarke, a candidate for sheriff in Clay County, and Emily Clarke, Josh Clarke’s wife and the Clay County prosecutor. He also told investigators he wanted charges filed for identity deception.
Investigators in Clay County were contacted by Indiana State Police in March. Following contact with Facebook, Verizon and MetroNet, police were able to identify Longyear as a suspect in June. In July, investigators learned that Longyear was an officer in Carmel. Longyear spoke with investigators on July 14.
According to court documents, Longyear said he created the account several years ago in order to remain anonymous when posting on Facebook.
“LONGYEAR admitted that most of his postings specifically on the Brazil Chatter site were political in nature and involved the Clay County Sheriffs race,” court documents state.
Longyear submitted his resignation on Thursday, a day after charges were filed.
Online court records do not yet list any future court appearances for Longyear.
Barlow accepts resignation
On Thursday, Aug. 18, Andrew Longyear tendered his resignation from the Carmel Police Department (CPD), effective immediately.
On the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug. 17, Carmel Police Chief Jim Barlow was contacted by Indiana State Police (ISP) and notified that charges were going to be filed against Longyear as a result of an investigation. At that time, ISP requested Chief Barlow not release any information in order to protect the integrity of their investigation.
After learning of Longyear’s arrest and subsequent release in Clay County on Wednesday, Chief Barlow accepted his resignation.
CPD will have no further information to share regarding this matter.