Former deputy fire chief Charles Heflin, 57, was charged with 55 criminal counts on June 4 in Indiana, including child exploitation and voyeurism, following a months-long investigation by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.. The investigation began in December 2025 when a woman renting a room from Heflin discovered a hidden camera attached to a modem and facing her bed, police reported. Heflin was terminated from the Gregg Township Fire Department in March 2025 after complaints from female members,according to authorities.

The hidden camera that triggered the December 2025 investigation

According to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, the investigation started when a woman renting a room from Heflin became suspicious and installed her own cameras, which captured Heflin going through her belongings in her bedroom. Police then obtained a search warrant for Heflin's phone and found multiple videos and images of people in private settings, court documents show. One video appeared to show a child approximately 9 years old undressing , while other videos depicted people in showers and bedrooms at the Gregg Township Fire Department, investigators said.

55 charges spanning December 2021 to April 2026: the allegations

The charges against Heflin include child exploitation, voyeurism, and related counts, stemming from alleged crimes over a multi-year period, according to court documents. One woman told police Heflin came into her room at the fire station while he thought she was asleep and molested her, the documents state. Another woman reported that Heflin responded to her home after a domestic dispute and later returned to offer her a massage and make sexual statements, police said.

Two women who knew Heflin told police he placed cameras in a 13-year-old's room and had previously been fired from a cable company for putting a camera in a women's bathroom,according to court documents. Heflin is also charged with resisting law enforcement and unlawful carrying of a handgun during his arrest.

The role of co-defendant Angela VanMatre in the alleged conspiracy

Heflin's girlfriend, Angela VanMatre, faces five conspiracy charges, including conspiracy to commit child exploitation and voyeurism, according to the Sheriff's Office. Court documents show text messages between Heflin and VanMatre discussing the best angles for hidden cameras and where they were hidden. Heflin's bond was set at $250,000 property/surety plus $50,000 cash, while VanMatre's bond is $10,000 property/surety plus $600 cash. A jury trial is scheduled for October 27, 2026.

What remains unknown about the scope and the department's earlier knowledge

The Gregg Township Fire Department released a statement saying Heflin has had no role or affiliation with the new administration, acknowledging that some charges stem from incidents during his tenure as Deputy Chief of the former entity . However, it remains unclear how many individuals may have been recorded without their knowledge over the nearly five-year alleged period, or whether the fire department had any prior indications of misconduct before the March 2025 termination. The statement also referenced charges against a former Fire Chief Kemp, suggesting a broader pattern of leadership issues that investigators have not fully detailed.