2nd Marshmallow Festival official faces charges

ALBION, Ind. (AP/WANE) -- A second person associated with the Ligonier Marshmallow Festival is facing criminal charges after money was discovered missing.

Noble County Prosecutor Steven Clouse says 30-year-old Bret Goodyear of Ligonier is accused of removing money from a Marshmallow Festival bank account and of possessing money taken from a Ligonier business. He had been vice chairman of the festival's organizing committee.

Goodyear appeared in court Monday on charges of theft and fraud on a financial institution. An innocent plea was entered on his behalf.

Goodyear asked that a public defender be appointed to represent him. He was released on $7,500 bond. There was no telephone listing for him.

Clouse would not comment on whether Goodyear's case is related to the previous arrest of the festival's chairwoman.

Since former Marshmallow Festival treasurer Tamara Deel and vice chairman Bret Goodyear have been arrested, a new committee has formed.  The Mayor of Ligonier, Patty Fisel, said the community is rallying behind the new committee.

"I think that people need to realize that we are going to go forward and it's going to be bigger and better than it has ever been before," Fisel said.

The festival committee has a new treasurer, Pamela Howard.  Howard said the committee has implemented new measures including checks and balances.

"All checks will be copied. There will be two signatures required on each check when it's written," Howard said.

The Marshmallow Festival in Ligonier starts August 31st, and it runs through September 3rd.