Former Starke County Detective Don Ferguson found not guilty by jury

A jury has found former Starke County Sheriff's Department detective Don Ferguson not guilty on charges last week in Starke County. 

Court documents reveal Ferguson was said to have taken several prescription pills in 2018 or 2019 that were the property of the Starke County Sheriff’s Department while in his capacity as a detective. After an investigation by the Indiana State Police, information was revealed that Ferguson had given a false statement in a police report. In Dec. 2020 it was documented that while Ferguson had been accused of taking several firearms that had been in possession of another person possession while working as a law enforcement officer under the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. 

Ferguson was indicted Sept., 2022 on three counts of official misconduct, a Level 6 Felony; theft of a firearm as a Level 6 Felony; theft, a Class A Misdemeanor; and false informing, a Class B Misdemeanor. 

A jury trial was scheduled last month by the Starke County Circuit Court for August 25 - 29. The trial was ended early, however, as the jury had returned their verdict sooner than planned after three days of trial. 

According to the Starke County Circuit Court on Wednesday, Aug 27, the jury found Ferguson not guilty for theft, a Level A Misdemeanor; not guilty for misconduct, a Level 6 Felony, and not guilty for theft of a firearm, a Level 6 Felony. 

The jury was unable to reach a verdict for all other counts. A status hearing is set to take place Sept. 23, at 9:30 a.m. Central Time.