The long-delayed preliminary hearing for former Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy Chase Cheadle was finally held Thursday, where a judge found probable cause in the case. Cheadle entered a plea of not guilty to the remaining charges. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for February 19th.
Cheadle’s preliminary hearing had been postponed multiple times, with delays dating back to November of 2024.
The former sheriff’s department canine handler was originally charged with eight counts, including four counts of official misconduct, one count of theft, one count of cruelty to animals, and two counts of animal owner duties violations. Five of those charges were felonies.
However, in June, Special Prosecutor Brian Towne requested dismissal of two felony counts, the theft charge and one count of official misconduct , which were granted by the court.
According to investigators, the 30-year-old Cheadle found his K-9 partner, Kiki, unresponsive in July of 2024. He was later arrested following the investigation and resigned from the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department one month later.