Earl Mayo New Chicago Indicted on Eight Felony Counts

earl mayo new chicago Police Chief Earl Mayo was indicted by a Lake County grand jury on eight counts, including theft, official misconduct, obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of anabolic steroids. Prosecutors said he took a Town of New Chicago Taurus G3 handgun without permission and sold it to a Lake County pawn shop on April 29, 2025.

The indictment puts Mayo, the town’s police chief, in court as a defendant while investigators say the firearm was tied to an active criminal case. Court filings in Lake County Superior Court list the charges tied to the indictment, and detectives said a later firearm trace exposed mismatches between evidence logs and pawn shop records.

Lake County Indictment

The grand jury returned the multi-count indictment in Lake County, Indiana, after prosecutors said Mayo committed theft in the course of his duties as a public official. One separate count alleges attempted obstruction of justice on Friday, when investigators said he tried to recover the pawned firearm before it could be used as evidence in a criminal proceeding.

Prosecutors said the handgun was sold along with other firearms at Mega Cash Pawn in Hobart on April 29, 2025. Detectives later determined the Taurus G3 had been sold there, and the investigation also involved the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police.

Mayo Gun Trace

The case moved when a firearm trace tied to an upcoming trial showed discrepancies between evidence logs and pawn shop records. That trace led investigators to the pawn shop records, which they said matched the sale of the Taurus G3 and other firearms by Mayo.

A pawn shop manager said Mayo personally sold multiple guns and later tried to coordinate the gun’s return through intermediaries. Prosecutors said the handgun was connected to an active criminal case, making the attempted recovery part of the obstruction count.

Jerry Williams Statement

Jerry Williams, an Indiana State Police major and Mayo’s father, issued a statement on Sunday. “My wife and I and our family are deeply concerned over recent information regarding our son, Earl Mayo, chief of the New Chicago Police Department. We raised all of our children with love, guidance and a strong foundation of values. We’ve always held our children to higher standards, as we have ourselves.”

Williams added, “We have very little information about this incident at this time. We are aware there are allegations that are troubling, and we struggle to reconcile them with the values we worked so hard to instill in all of our children and grandchildren.” He also said, “Under our criminal justice system, Earl is presumed innocent unless and until proven otherwise. We respect that fundamental principle, and it is important that the legal process be allowed to proceed fairly and impartially.”

Merrillville Steroid Allegations

The indictment also includes allegations of unlawful possession of anabolic steroids, naming Trenbolone and Equipoise without a valid prescription. Investigators said a woman connected to Mayo tried to destroy glass vials containing suspected steroids when they confronted her at his residence in Merrillville.

Detectives also said Mayo made statements suggesting he kept items at home that “the feds would never find,” including firearm suppressors. The charges listed in the court filings leave Mayo facing a criminal case built around the gun sale, the attempted recovery, and the items investigators say were found or described during the probe.