Former Columbus Township trustee sentenced after using township credit cards for $1.1 million in personal expenses

Former Columbus Township trustee to serve 26 years in theft, misconduct case

Ben Jackson. Photo courtesy of Indiana State Police. A former Columbus Township Trustee has been sentenced to 26 years in prison, two years on probation and to repay $1.1 million dollars stolen from Bartholomew County taxpayers. Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden announced Wednesday that the sentence had been handed down by Special Judge Matthew Bailey. That comes after 57-year-old Ben Jackson pleaded guilty in November to 18 felony ch…

Local Judge Sentences Former Official

(Bartholomew County, IN) – Special Judge Matthew Bailey of Decatur County sentenced a former Columbus area township trustee to 26 years in prison for stealing more than a million dollars from taxpayers. Benjamin Jackson was the subject of a massive credit card fraud investigation. Investigators say Jackson used $1,123,334.27 in public funds for personal vacations and home improvements. The sentence was 28 years, but Judge Bailey suspended two ye…

Ex-trustee Benjamin Jackson gets 28-year sentence for stealing taxpayer funds

Former Columbus Township Trustee Benjamin Jackson sentenced to 28 years for stealing $1.1 million in taxpayer funds for personal expenses and lavish trips.

Former Columbus Township Trustee Sentenced

Source: Bartholomew County Jail / Bartholomew County Jail COLUMBUS, Ind. — Bartholomew County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Holden announced Wednesday that 57-year-old Benjamin Jackson, former Columbus Township Trustee, has been sentenced to 28 years following a massive financial corruption scandal. Of that term, 26 years will be served in the Department of Correction, with the final two years on probation. The case began in late 2024 when Indian…

Former Columbus Township trustee sentenced after using township credit cards for $1.1 million in personal expenses

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- A former trustee with Columbus Township was sentenced to 28 years after he pleaded guilty to using township credit cards for more than $1.1 million in personal expenses. According to a news release from the Bartholomew County Prosecutor's Office, Wednesday's sentence comes after 57-year-old Benjamin Jackson pleaded guilty in November 2025 for [...]

Ex-township trustee sentenced to 26 years in Indiana Department of Correction

COLUMBUS A former township trustee will spend time behind bars after admitting to stealing from the taxpayers he was tasked with serving.A Bartholomew County judge sentenced Benjamin P. Jackson to 26 years in the Indiana Department of Correction and two years of probation.Jackson pleaded guilty to all 18 criminal counts he was charged withnine counts for Theft and nine counts for Official Misconduct.WRTV Investigates reported in May that Benjami…