ST. LOUIS (AP) — A former small-town police chief in eastern Missouri is facing federal indictment alleging that he stole thousands of dollars from suspects.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in St. Louis on Thursday announced the indictment of 47-year-old Michael Thomas Smith, the former chief of police in Byrnes Mill, Missouri.

The indictment accuses Smith of taking thousands of dollars from three suspects in 2013 and 2014. Federal prosecutors say the police department had no records of the seized funds, which were never entered into evidence.

Smith is free on bond. A phone number for his home was not working and he could not immediately be reached for comment.

Byrnes Mill, with about 2,800 residents, is 30 miles southwest of St. Louis.