INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — John Keeler, a man once involved in plans to bring a casino to Terre Haute, was sentenced to two months in federal prison Wednesday.
According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Indiana, Keeler, of Indianapolis, along with former State Senator Darryl Brent Waltz of Greenwood, were both sentenced for devising and participating in election finance schemes. Keeler pleaded guilty to causing the filing of a false tax return.
Keeler was former vice president and general counsel of New Centaur LLC and used corporate funds to funnel $25,000 to a local political party committee in Marion County.
Keeler was the vice president of Spectacle Entertainment and its chief legal counsel at the time that the federal indictment was first announced in September 2020. Spectacle Entertainment was at the time involved in ownership of the Terre Haute and Gary, Indiana casino projects.
Keeler was also ordered to be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for one year following his release from prison and pay a $55,000 fine.
The FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation led the case against Keeler and Waltz, who was sentenced to ten months in federal prison. Waltz pleaded guilty to receiving fictitious donations and for lying and misleading FBI agents who were investigating these illegal contributions.