Lowell Woman Heather Ann Textor Faces 42 Felonies in Alleged Merrillville Law Firm Fraud Scheme

Heather Ann Textor, of Lowell, Indiana, has been charged with 42 felonies and three misdemeanors after a three-year Indiana State Police (ISP) investigation. Police allege she gave clients of a Merrillville law firm fake expungement orders with forged judges’ signatures and diverted some client payments to her personal accounts. She worked at the firm, Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, P.C., as a legal secretary, and the charges were filed October 14, 2026. The charges are allegations, not convictions, and ISP says more victims may exist.

Heather Ann Textor Case: Quick Facts

Detail	What is reported
Accused	Heather Ann Textor, of Lowell, Indiana
Workplace	Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, P.C., Merrillville; she was a legal secretary there
Investigating agency	Indiana State Police; lead investigator Sgt. Joe White of the Organized Crime and Corruption Unit
How it began	A Gary man hand-delivered suspected fake expungement documents to the ISP Expungement Unit on October 24, 2023
Period in the affidavit	Approximately November 2019 to October 2025
Charges filed	October 14, 2026
Total charges	42 felonies and three Class A misdemeanors (45 counts)
Felony levels	Five Level 5 felonies and 37 Level 6 felonies
Custody	Lodged in the Lake County Jail, per Region News Source
Law firm	Not accused of wrongdoing in the cited reports; ISP thanked it for cooperating
More victims	ISP says there could be additional victims
Conviction	None; Textor is presumed innocent

What Does Indiana State Police Say Heather Ann Textor Did?

ISP says detectives found fraudulent expungement orders, forged judicial signatures, falsified specialized driving-privilege documents, unauthorized use of client funds and electronic payments diverted to personal accounts. Investigators allege she misrepresented her role at the firm and created fake court documents that made clients believe legal work had been done when it had not. State police also said some victims were arrested or jailed after being led to believe their records had been expunged or their driving privileges restored.

NBC Chicago report on the ISP announcement | Region News Source report on the probable-cause affidavit | FOX 32 Chicago report

How Did the Indiana Investigation Begin?

According to the affidavit as reported by Region News Source, a Gary man hand-delivered a suspected fraudulent expungement petition to the ISP Expungement Unit on October 24, 2023. He also gave investigators three purported expungement petitions and two ISP expungement letters. The unique expungement ID on one completion letter belonged to a different person, and staff at the Lake and Porter county clerks’ offices said they had no expungement orders under the listed cause numbers or his name.

The man told investigators he paid “Heather” $1,000 in cash in November 2019 for a retainer, then $600 more and a $26 filing fee. The firm’s records showed $626 receipted and deposited, but the $1,000 was “nowhere to be found,” and the receipt book for that payment was missing. Judges whose signatures appeared on the documents told investigators they had not signed or authorized them.

What Payment Diversions Does the Affidavit Describe?

These examples come from the affidavit as reported. They are allegations.

Client payment	What the affidavit says
$375 toward a $750 retainer by debit card	$24.84 went through the firm’s card machine and $350.16 went to Textor’s personal PayPal account
$1,000 by debit card	$37.58 credited to the firm and $962.42 sent to Textor’s personal PayPal account
$850 through Cash App	Textor identified it as the firm’s business account; the firm said it never created one
Three receipts totaling $1,600	The firm’s records did not account for the payments
$1,200 cash with three bond-assignment forms	The client said she never signed the forms; the firm’s records showed $600 credited

The firm told investigators it never opened a PayPal business account and did not accept PayPal for legal services. Investigators also reviewed a $2,172.92 unpaid Staples balance on the firm’s credit card, including two iPad minis. The firm said some purchases were for the firm but that Textor had no permission to use the card for personal purchases. Investigators reported finding four reusable bags in an upstairs storage space holding office files, three purported expungement orders in another client’s name and the missing receipt book. A notebook in one bag contained handwritten payment-card information.

Not every client payment was affected. In one matter, the firm’s records showed a client’s $763 payment was accounted for, although the judge said the stamped signature on that driving-privileges order had been used without permission.

What Happened to the Client Who Was Jailed?

One client paid $850 through the Cash App account. She told investigators Textor said she would “email the court to take care of it, everything would be okay and not to worry.” The affidavit says she was later cited for driving while suspended in Valparaiso, Munster and Lowell, and her car was towed after each stop. On August 13, 2023, a license-plate-reader alert showed a Porter County failure-to-appear warrant for driving while suspended. She was taken to the Lake County Jail and extradited to the Porter County Jail the next day. The affidavit lists her total loss as $2,210, including the $850 and towing bills.

The affidavit does not say Textor caused the underlying suspension or warrant. A paper that looks like a court order does not change a license status or cancel a warrant, so a person who relies on one can still be stopped or jailed.

What Are the 45 Charges Against Heather Ann Textor?

Charge	Level	Counts
Fraud, victim is a financial institution	Level 5 felony	5
Forgery with intent to defraud	Level 6 felony	13
Counterfeiting	Level 6 felony	2
Fraud, loss between $750 and $50,000	Level 6 felony	5
Fraud, enhancing circumstances apply	Level 6 felony	7
Fraud	Level 6 felony	3
Theft, value between $750 and $50,000	Level 6 felony	7
Fraud	Class A misdemeanor	1
Theft	Class A misdemeanor	2
Total	42 felonies, 3 misdemeanors	45

The charging documents control if they differ from this reported list.

What Is Fraud Under Indiana Code § 35-43-5-4?

Indiana Code § 35-43-5-4 covers knowingly or intentionally making false or misleading statements, or creating a false impression, with the intent to obtain property or other benefits. Fraud is a Level 5 felony in specified circumstances, including when the victim is a financial institution. The public reports do not say which institutions or transactions support the five Level 5 counts, or what the “enhancing circumstance” is on the seven enhanced counts.

What Is Forgery and Counterfeiting Under Indiana Code § 35-43-5-2?

Indiana Code § 35-43-5-2 addresses making or using a written instrument that purports to be made by someone else, or with authority that was not given, with intent to defraud. The 13 forgery counts and two counterfeiting counts fit the allegations about documents with judges’ signatures. Prosecutors must prove each count on its own facts.

What Is Theft Under Indiana Code § 35-43-4-2?

Indiana Code § 35-43-4-2 covers knowingly or intentionally exerting unauthorized control over another person’s property with intent to deprive the owner of its value or use. Theft of property worth $750 or more but less than $50,000 is generally a Level 6 felony.

What Penalties Could Heather Ann Textor Face if Convicted?

Classification	Sentencing range	Advisory sentence
Level 5 felony	1 to 6 years	3 years
Level 6 felony	6 months to 2.5 years	1 year
Class A misdemeanor	Up to 1 year in jail	None specified

Fines can reach $10,000 for Level 5 and Level 6 felonies and $5,000 for a Class A misdemeanor. See Indiana Code § 35-50-2-6, § 35-50-2-7 and § 35-50-3-2.

These are statutory ranges, not predictions. A sentence cannot be calculated by multiplying one maximum by 42. It depends on which counts end in conviction and whether sentences run concurrently or consecutively. Indiana Code § 35-50-1-2 also limits consecutive sentences for crimes arising from a single episode of criminal conduct. No conviction or sentence exists.

How Does Indiana Expungement Work, and How Do You Check Whether One Is Real?

Indiana’s expungement law is in Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9. Under ISP’s guidance, a person files a petition with a local court, either alone or through a lawyer. If the court grants it, the court sends the verified petition and order to the ISP Expungement Section, which processes it. ISP says processing is delayed if paperwork is incomplete. See ISP’s guide to expunging criminal history. ISP can be reached at 317-234-4427 or [email protected], but it cannot give legal advice.

A document that looks like a court order does not prove a court granted anything. Only a real order from the court, processed by the proper agencies, changes the record. Expungement and sealing restrict how records may be used. They do not always delete every copy from every database.

What Should Former Clients of the Merrillville Law Firm Do?

ISP says some victims may not realize they were affected. If you used the firm or dealt with Textor between 2019 and 2025:

1. Contact ISP. Call Sgt. Joe White at 219-696-6242 if you think you may be a victim.
2. Verify the order with the court. Contact the county clerk through an official number and ask whether an expungement or driving-privilege order exists under your name and case number. Do not rely only on papers a private person gave you.
3. Keep your records. Save receipts, bank statements, PayPal and Cash App histories, texts, emails and any paperwork you received.
4. Check your driving status with the court and licensing authority before relying on any claimed privilege.
5. Consider independent legal advice if a record you believed was expunged is still active or a warrant may exist.

For help with a wrong record or an arrest tied to bad information, see Criminal Identity Theft, What to Do if Someone Uses Your Name During an Arrest.

What We Still Do Not Know About the Heather Ann Textor Case

Open question	Status
Age	Reports differ: NBC Chicago says 41, Region News Source says 37
Arrest date and bond	Not confirmed; she was reported lodged in the Lake County Jail
Which court and docket number	Not in the reports reviewed
Total loss across all clients	Not reported; the $2,210 figure applies to one client
Firm’s response and employment end date	FOX 32 reportedly said the firm fired her in November 2023; I could not confirm it, and the affidavit period runs to October 2025
Which institutions are the “financial institution” victims	Not reported
Her plea or response	Not reported
More charges	ISP says additional charges remain under review

Heather Ann Textor Investigation Timeline

Date	Development
November 2019	Gary man reportedly pays an initial $1,000 cash retainer.
August 13–14, 2023	A client is taken to Lake County Jail on a Porter County warrant, then extradited to Porter County.
October 24, 2023	A Gary man delivers suspected fake expungement documents to the ISP Expungement Unit.
October 14, 2026	The 42 felony and 3 misdemeanor counts are filed.
October 16, 2026	ISP and local outlets publicize the charges and ask possible victims to call Sgt. Joe White.
As of October 17, 2026	No plea, conviction or trial date reported.

Heather Ann Textor Fraud Case: Frequently Asked Questions

How many charges does Heather Ann Textor face?

42 felonies and three Class A misdemeanors, 45 in all, filed October 14, 2026.

What is Heather Ann Textor accused of doing?

Indiana State Police allege she gave clients fake expungement and driving-privilege documents with forged judicial signatures, misled them about completed legal work and diverted some payments to personal accounts.

Is the law firm accused of the fraud?

Not in the reports reviewed. ISP thanked the firm, Weiss, Schmidgall and Hires, for its help.

How did the investigation start?

A Gary man gave suspected fake expungement documents to the ISP Expungement Unit on October 24, 2023.

Did clients go to jail because of the allegedly fake documents?

ISP says some victims were arrested or jailed. The affidavit describes one client who was jailed on a failure-to-appear warrant for driving while suspended.

How can I check whether an Indiana expungement is real?

Contact the court clerk through an official number to confirm the order and case number. ISP processes court-approved orders but cannot give legal advice.

What are the possible penalties?

Level 5 felony: 1 to 6 years. Level 6 felony: 6 months to 2.5 years. Class A misdemeanor: up to 1 year. The result depends on the counts proved and how sentences run.

Could more charges be filed?

ISP says additional charges remain under review. That does not mean they will be filed.

How can potential victims contact investigators?

Call ISP Sgt. Joe White at 219-696-6242.

What the Heather Ann Textor Case Means for Northwest Indiana Residents

People seek expungement because an old record can affect work, housing and licensing. A paper that only looks like a court order can leave the record in place and add new legal and money problems. The investigation continues, and the next developments will be court filings, any added charges and updates from ISP or the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. If you used the firm, verify directly with the court that any relief you paid for was actually granted.

Sources

1. NBC Chicago: NW Indiana woman faces more than 40 felonies in fraud scheme involving law firm clients (October 16, 2026)
2. Region News Source: Lowell Woman Charged In Alleged Multi-Year Fraud Scheme At Merrillville Law Office (October 16, 2026)
3. FOX 32 Chicago: Indiana woman faces 45 charges in alleged law office fraud case
4. CBS Chicago: Lowell, Indiana woman charged with 42 felonies for allegedly faking expungements, stealing money
5. Indiana State Police: Expunge Criminal History
6. Indiana Code § 35-43-5-4, Fraud
7. Indiana Code § 35-43-5-2, Forgery and counterfeiting
8. Indiana Code § 35-43-4-2, Theft
9. Indiana Code Chapter 35-38-9, Sealing and expunging conviction records
10. Indiana Code § 35-50-2-6, Level 5 felony sentencing
11. Indiana Code § 35-50-2-7, Level 6 felony sentencing
12. Indiana Code § 35-50-3-2, Class A misdemeanor penalty

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a legal-information website, not a law firm. Criminal charges are allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The charging documents, probable-cause affidavit and later court orders control.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against Indiana State Police information as reported by NBC Chicago, Region News Source’s account of the probable-cause affidavit, ISP’s expungement guidance and the Indiana Code sections cited, as of October 17, 2026. Last Updated: October 17, 2026.