Former Indiana State Senator Charged with Six Misdemeanor Thefts

Former Indiana State Senator Ron Alting has been charged with six misdemeanor counts of theft. The charges were filed in Tippecanoe Superior Court on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. This legal development comes less than a month after Alting announced he was stepping down from his legislative seat, a position he had held for 28 years.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the charges are linked to several incidents that occurred in August and September at a Walmart store in Lafayette. The documents describe one specific instance where Alting and a companion, identified as Pamela Krammes, entered the store and placed several items into plastic shopping bags. The pair proceeded to a self-checkout lane, where Alting paid for a single bag of chips.

The affidavit states that Krammes then returned the purchased chips to the cart with other unpaid merchandise. The couple subsequently attempted to leave the premises. When a loss-prevention officer confronted them, Alting reportedly stated, “Oh, I am just going to go pay for these.”

The situation escalated when Alting and Krammes refused to cooperate with the officer after being instructed to visit an office to complete necessary paperwork. The documents indicate that the two fled the scene, prompting the officer to contact Lafayette police. Investigators later identified multiple other occasions where Alting entered the store, collected plastic grocery bags, placed merchandise inside, paid for only a few items, and then exited the building.

Pamela Krammes has also faced legal consequences. A separate affidavit indicates she was charged with four counts of theft in connection with the same series of events. As of Wednesday, neither Alting nor Krammes had immediately responded to emailed requests for comment from The Indiana Lawyer.

Alting had previously addressed the shoplifting allegations in October. In a lengthy post on Facebook, he announced his intention to resign from the state senate. He explained that he was undergoing a medical evaluation for concerning changes in his judgment, behavior, and cognitive functioning. He acknowledged that he had done things during that period that were wrong and deeply out of character for him.

At the time of the announcement, Alting, who is 70 years old, was on the ballot for reelection against Democrat Natasha Baker. However, he stepped back from the campaign trail. Baker went on to win the seat earlier this month. In a brief speech delivered on Election Night, Alting congratulated his opponent and asked the audience to keep him in their prayers as he navigates the next phase of his life.

Alting first took office in the Indiana Senate in 1998. Prior to his state legislative career, he served on the Lafayette City Council for three years. His departure marks the end of a long tenure in local and state government.