Both Democratic candidates for Marion County sheriff are under scrutiny days before Tuesday's primary — the contest that will almost certainly decide who runs the county jail and serves criminal warrants.
Gregory Patrick and Kelvis Williams and are running to replace Sheriff Kerry Forestal, who is term-limited and running for the open Indiana Senate District 31. No Republican filed for the seat, meaning the May 5 primary winner will likely become the next sheriff.
In 2004, Patrick ran for Okaloosa County sheriff in Florida and was defeated in the November election, according to a Florida Elections Commission order. The commission investigated his campaign after receiving a sworn complaint and, in a December 2005 final order, found Patrick committed 17 “willful” violations of Florida campaign finance laws.
The order found Patrick certified four incorrect campaign treasurer’s reports and accepted five cash contributions exceeding Florida’s $100 cash-contribution limit, among other findings. The commission imposed a $100 civil penalty.
Patrick told WFYI it was his first campaign and he learned from it.
"I now have separate accounts for, I don't use the same bank for personal and the campaign – because that was the only thing that really stuck was the fact that I had a $100 check that ended up in my personal account that was meant for my campaign," Patrick said.
His challenger Williams faces questions over a campaign mailer his campaign sent that claims he is endorsed by the Marion County Democratic Party. The county party stopped endorsing candidates in primary races in 2023.
The mailer pictures Williams alongside other Democratic candidates on the primary ballot: Auditor Myla Eldridge, Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell, Prosecutor Ryan Mears, Recorder Faith James Kimbrough and Assessor Joseph O'Connor under the headline "YOUR OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC TEAM!"
The mailer tells voters: "It is your right to take this document with you into the voting booth."
Williams and Sweeney Bell are marked with asterisks identifying the candidates with primary opponents. Fine print at the bottom states the mailer was paid for by Kelvis Williams for Sheriff and "not approved by any other candidate or committee."
Williams did not respond to WFYI’s request to comment about the mailer by the time of publication.
In a statement issued by his campaign Thursday, Williams apologized for the mailer, saying he did not get permission from the five officeholders pictured to use their photographs. He called the error his own and said his campaign has put internal controls in place to prevent similar problems.
"It is my campaign, it was my error, and it is not how I do business or lead my life," Williams said in the statement. "I have employed internal controls that should preclude any future problems. I sincerely apologize to my fellow candidates, and I deeply appreciate their firm support of my candidacy for Sheriff."
In a Facebook post late Thursday on Patrick’s campaign site about Williams’ mailer, the campaign wrote: “We won't pile on.”
The sheriff's office runs the jail, secures county courts and government buildings, serves criminal warrants and maintains the sex offender registry. The race centers on two issues — jail overcrowding and the office's relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — at a time when Gov. Mike Braun and Republican state lawmakers are pushing local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE.
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org
Samantha Horton is WFYI All Things Considered newscaster and reporter. Contact her at shorton@wfyi.org or on Signal at SamHorton.05
