Voicemails for Carmel principal lead to harassment charges for former student, member of mayoral transition team

A 2024 Carmel High School graduate and former member of the Carmel mayor’s transition team is facing two charges after reportedly leaving harassing voicemails for Carmel High School Principal Tim Phares.

Liam Hansen, 18, who helped guide the Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council as part of Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam’s transition team, allegedly left a harassing voicemail on Phares’ wife’s cellphone the night of July 7 and another voicemail on Phares’ phone two minutes later, according to a probable cause affidavit.

In both voicemails, the caller identifies himself as “Liam Hansen” and used a number that matched the one on file at CHS for Hansen. The caller names “Tim” as the intended recipient in both messages.

In the first voicemail, the caller said he’d “like to see your head on a spike, but unfortunately it might not happen for a good 40 years.” In the second, after accusing Phares of “running this high school into the (expletive) ground,” he said, “I’m going to try and make your life as hard as possible for the rest of my life, and I am 18 years old. … You can go (expletive) yourself and I will be watching. Watching peacefully, watching patriotically, and watching unviolently. OK, so you can’t report me for anything.”

Hansen did not respond to a request for comment. His attorney declined to comment.

Beginning in November 2023, Hansen served on the mayoral transition team for Finkam, who became mayor Jan. 1. He was tasked with revamping the CMYC program and planning activities to enhance civic participation among CHS students. He had previously assisted with Finkam’s mayoral campaign through data management and other tasks.

Rebecca Carl, chief of staff for the City of Carmel, said Hansen hasn’t been affiliated with the mayor or her transition team since around the time Finkam took office, which was several months before the voicemails were left.

Phares did not respond to a request for comment. CCS spokesperson Emily Bauer stated that “the district is aware of the situation and is committed to supporting our staff.”

Hansen faces two misdemeanor charges of harassment by means of a telephone call. His trial is set for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 13 in Hamilton County Superior Court 7.