John Jessup, a former elected official in Indiana, was sentenced on Thursday to a prison term of six to fifteen years after admitting to the attempted sexual assault of his daughter during her 21st birthday trip to Las Vegas.
Jessup, 50, had been serving as commissioner of Hancock County at the time of the assault in January 2024. According to court records, the assault occurred after Jessup encouraged his daughter, Rachel Keesling, to consume large amounts of alcohol before later assaulting her in their hotel room while she was unconscious.
The case drew national attention due to the gravity of the charges and Jessup’s continued presence in public office during portions of the investigation and prosecution.
A night intended for celebration turns traumatic
Ms. Keesling, now 22, had traveled with her father to Las Vegas to celebrate her birthday. Prosecutors said Jessup pressured his daughter to consume at least three Long Island iced teas despite her discomfort. At one point, he allegedly invoked the city’s infamous phrase, saying: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
He then took her to a strip club and left her alone at the bar while he entered a private room, court filings said. Upon returning to their hotel, Ms. Keesling was so intoxicated she required assistance to get to the room and later took a shower while still fully clothed before falling asleep. She awoke to find her father assaulting her. The assault stopped only when she began to stir, according to her testimony.
Victim impact and sentencing
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Ms. Keesling gave a statement describing the emotional and psychological toll of the incident. “Since my biological father sexually assaulted me on Jan. 26 last year, my life feels like it’s shattered,” she said.
She has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and experiences frequent panic attacks. She also underwent multiple rounds of testing for sexually transmitted infections following the assault.
As part of a plea agreement, Jessup pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault, a charge reduced from sexual assault. Under the terms of his sentence, he must serve at least six years in prison, register as a sex offender, and is permanently barred from contacting his daughter or other family members.
Political fallout and public outrage
At the time of the crime, Jessup was serving as the commissioner of Hancock County, Indiana. Despite the severity of the allegations, he ran for and won a seat on the Hancock City Council before eventually resigning once the case gained wider attention.
His continued presence in public office amid the investigation sparked public criticism of the systems that allow candidates under criminal scrutiny to maintain leadership roles.
A family fractured
Details of the assault emerged during a court hearing, where prosecutors laid out a harrowing timeline of manipulation and betrayal. Jessup allegedly exploited the trust of his daughter, who was celebrating a milestone birthday. His actions have permanently fractured their relationship.
Jessup was taken into custody immediately following sentencing and will serve his prison term in a Nevada correctional facility.
The Keesling family, in a statement following the hearing, expressed gratitude for the legal resolution but emphasized that the emotional healing will take far longer. “She was just beginning her adult life,” one family member said. “And now she has to rebuild it from the ground up.”
