Cops: Man Used Sheriff's F'closure List To Target Homes In Appliance Thefts; May Have Needed Cash To "Buy Down" Jail Time In Prior Escrow Funds Ripoff

According to various Indiana media reports:

• Former I[ndiana] U[university] basketball player Todd Leary was arrested [] for allegedly stealing appliances from foreclosed homes in Hamilton County. [...] Leary, 39, Carmel, is accused of stealing appliances from foreclosed homes with the help of two cohorts and selling the appliances to Big Al's Superstore in Indianapolis, said Jeff Wehmueller, administrative chief deputy for the Hamilton County prosecutor's office. Leary used the sheriff's foreclosure listings to target homes he thought were unoccupied, but on at least one occasion, a home was still occupied, Wehmueller said.

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• Warrants were issued for Leary and the other two men identified by police. Leary turned himself in on Wednesday. The others, Gregg Campbell, 50, and Eric Campbell, 44, both of Indianapolis, are already incarcerated in the Marion County Jail on unrelated charges.

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• In July, Leary pleaded guilty to a felony charge of misappropriating title insurance escrow funds in Fort Wayne.

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• His agreement with Allen County prosecutors [in the title insurance escrow ripoff case] called for him to face up to three years in prison, with that cut in half if he pays nearly $295,000 in restitution before a sentencing hearing in October. Prosecutors said Leary worked for a title insurance broker who pleaded guilty in a $2.7 million fraud case.(1)

• Leary played for Indiana during 1989-94 and was an analyst for IU's radio broadcasts when he was arrested [in the title insurance escrow ripoff case] in February, right before a game against Purdue.

For the stories, see:

• The Indianapolis Star: Todd Leary accused of plundering foreclosed houses;
• WRTV-TV Channel 6: Former IU Basketball Player Faces New Charges (Police: Leary Stole, Sold Appliances From Foreclosed Homes);
• WIBC Radio 93.1 FM: Former IU Player In Trouble Again.

(1) See Judge Unsympathetic To "Poor Business Decisions" Defense As Title Agent Gets 11+ Yrs For Looting Escrow Cash; 15 Refin'cing Homeowners Left w/ 2 Loans.