Warren County – On Wednesday afternoon, detectives from the Indiana State Police Lafayette Post arrested Tara Pickett, 35, and Andrew Pickett, 35, both of Attica, as part of an extensive and ongoing investigation.
The investigation began in April of this year when Indiana State Police were contacted by Warren County business owner Akers, who reported suspected theft of business and personal assets after discovering missing funds. Upon further inspection, Akers found that his office manager, Tara Pickett, had allegedly transferred money from his business account to an account belonging to her and her husband, Andrew Pickett.
During the investigation, detectives confirmed and uncovered additional evidence suggesting that Tara Pickett had transferred unauthorized sums of money to personal accounts owned by her and Andrew. Tara also reportedly used business credit cards for unauthorized transactions and manipulated credit card and bank statements to conceal the theft. The investigation revealed over $600,000 in unauthorized transfers and purchases between December 2018 and April 2024.
Detectives worked closely with the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office to obtain multiple search warrants, which were executed by detectives. The information gathered from these searches was thoroughly reviewed, leading to the compilation of substantial findings. A summary of the investigation was submitted to the Warren County Prosecutor, who then issued arrest warrants for both Tara and Andrew Pickett.
On Wednesday morning, detectives and troopers from the Lafayette Post located the suspects and safely took them into custody. They were transported to the Warren County Jail.
Arrested and charges listed on the warrant:
Tara Pickett, 35, of Attica
- Theft - Level 5 Felony (6 Counts)
- Money Laundering (at least $50,000) - Level 5 Felony
- Corrupt Business Influence - Level 5 Felony
- Identity Deception - Level 6 Felony (5 Counts)
- Theft - Level 6 Felony (13 Counts)
Andrew Pickett, 36, of Attica
- Theft - Level 5 Felony (6 Counts)
- Money Laundering (at least $50,000) - Level 5 Felony
- Corrupt Business Influence - Level 5 Felony
- Theft - Level 6 Felony (2 Counts)
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
No further information is available at this time.