Former Brown County Surveyor Arrested
Former Brown County Surveyor Arrested, Accused of Misconduct and Fraud
NASHVILLE, Ind.–The former Brown County Surveyor was arrested Wednesday on charges related to fraud, conflict of interest, and official misconduct.
In a news release sent out late Wednesday night, State Police said they started their investigation into 70-year-old David K. Harden in March of 2025. Harden was the Brown County Surveyor in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Their investigation claims that Harden had submitted invoices totaling more than $71,000 to the Brown County Auditor’s Office from his surveying company RATEC LLC DBA (Doing Business As) Bennett & Associates. They also say that Harden was not a licensed surveyor and he failed to file a Conflict of Interest Statement with the Brown County Clerk’s Office as required by state law.
Harden was taken to the Brown County Jail. He’s facing the following charges:
-Corrupt Business Influence, a Level 5 Felony
-Three (3) counts of Official Misconduct, a Level 6 Felony
-Three (3) counts of Conflict of Interest, a Level 6 Felony
-Three (3) counts of Fraud – Loss between $750 and $50,000, a Level 6 Felony
