WARSAW — A Third District Democratic Party Treasurer has been arrested after stealing a total of $7,042 from the party’s funds.

Tyler Robert Cooley, 33, 175 E. Sparks St., Markle, is being charged with one count of theft, a level 6 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 24, 2016, a Noble County Sheriff officer spoke with an individual who is with the Third District Democratic Party. She advised the officer that approximately $5,677 had been stolen from the party’s account at an Old National Bank branch in Kosciusko County.  She advised she had spoken with Cooley, the party’s treasurer, who admitted he had taken the money.

The woman told police an audit had found that a total of $7,042 had been stolen from the party’s account.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on July 14, 2016, an officer spoke with Cooley. He admitted that from September of 2015 to July of 2016, he had stolen money from the Third District Democratic Party checking account at Old National Bank and had used the money for his own personal use without permission or consent. He used a counter withdraw ticket to remove the money from various branches of Old National Bank in Kosciusko County and Fort Wayne. He admitted he had withdrawn $5,677 from the checking account, had stolen $700 from a Democratic Party raffle and $665 from a Democratic Party dinner.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the total loss sustained from the party was $7,042.

Cooley was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on a bond of $5,250 surety and cash.