05/23/2026
The situation involving New Chicago Police Chief Earl Mayo has quickly become one of the biggest law enforcement controversies in Northwest Indiana this year. Mayo was arrested Friday in Ohio while federal and local investigators were reportedly carrying out search warrants connected to an ongoing criminal investigation. According to multiple sources, more than 100 fi****ms were allegedly seized from Mayo’s Merrillville home by Lake County police and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, To***co, Fi****ms and Explosives (ATF).
Because of the investigation, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department has now taken over all policing duties for the small town of New Chicago. Current Sheriff Oscar Martinez said residents should not worry about police protection and emphasized the matter is still under investigation.
What makes this story politically significant is that Earl Mayo is the son of Jerry Williams, the longtime Indiana State Police major who recently won the Democratic primary for Lake County sheriff and is now the Democratic nominee heading into the November election.
Williams released a public statement expressing concern and sadness over the allegations involving his son. He stated that if the allegations are proven true, Mayo should “accept responsibility for his actions and face the consequences.” His response has drawn attention because he did not attempt to excuse or defend the alleged conduct, instead stressing accountability and the values his family tried to instill.
For many voters, this now places Jerry Williams in a difficult political position. On one hand, he has built a reputation in Northwest Indiana law enforcement through decades with the Indiana State Police and entered the sheriff’s race as a well-known Democratic candidate. On the other hand, the investigation involving his son will likely become a major issue during the campaign, especially as more details emerge about the alleged fi****ms investigation and possible criminal charges.
At the same time, some people may separate Jerry Williams from the actions of his adult son, particularly because of the firm tone of his statement and his long law enforcement background. Others may question oversight, judgment, or political connections within local policing circles. Much will depend on what investigators ultimately reveal and whether formal charges are filed in Lake County.
The case also shines a spotlight on the small town of New Chicago itself, a municipality of less than one square mile that now finds itself at the center of a major regional law enforcement investigation.
A Northwest Indiana small-town police chief was being held in an Ohio jail Saturday amid a criminal investigation and county police takeover of his town's policing.