ISP: Attorney Stole More Than $100K From Special Needs Trust

Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at 11:22 AM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

The money was allegedly taken from a Brookville man's trust account in 2016.

(Brookville, Ind.) – An Indiana attorney is accused of taking money from trusts intended to help several people with special needs.

Kenneth Shane Service, 45, of Greenwood, was charged in Franklin County Court last month with Theft (level 5 felony) and two counts of Theft (level 6 felony).

Service’s law license was suspended in October of 2017, after he was first charged in Lawrence County with taking money from the special needs trusts of two residents there.

At the time, Indiana State Police detectives felt that there would be more victims, many of them special needs individuals for whom Service set up the trusts, in Indiana and other states.

It appears the hunch was correct. According to a September 17 court affidavit, Service allegedly stole more than $102,000 from a Brookville man who was the subject of a guardianship. One transaction for more than $71,000 was used to cover for money allegedly taken from another trust Service managed. Two withdrawals from the account by Service added up to more than $31,000. The three transactions took place between August and November 2016.

The Brookville victim’s guardian, his brother, was contacted in July by the ISP Special Investigations Service, Organized Crime and Corruption Unit. He told investigators none of the three transactions were authorized by him or his brother.

Service has yet to be brought to jail in Franklin County. A judge has fixed his bail at $10,000.

Service is also facing charges in Delaware County.