Ex-Indiana Politician Jailed for Sex Assault on Daughter in Vegas

Last year, a former Republican Indiana county commissioner was arrested on sex charges involving his daughter while at a Las Vegas, Nevada, casino. 

Now, he’s been sentenced to serve at least six years in prison. 

This comes after Caprice Cashaw, a man from Indiana, was charged with two counts of murder in connection to losing $10k at Horseshoe Hammond Casino earlier this month. 

More on the Case

In June 2024, John Jessup, 50, a Republican county commissioner in Indiana, was booked at the Clark County Detention Center. 

The charge was felony sexual assault. He pleaded guilty in November. Now, he’s sentenced to six to 15 years in prison, and when he’s out, he’ll need to register as a sex offender. 

At first, the verbiage was that they were charges involving a woman he knew, but eventually, his daughter, Rachel Jessup, who now goes by Rachel Keesling after being adopted by her stepfather, came forward as the woman who was assaulted. 

The trip to Las Vegas came in celebration of her 21st birthday. 

According to court documents, he told his daughter, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” while ordering her several Long Island iced teas. 

She wanted to take a break after the third one, but he kept ordering. 

After they continued drinking, they went to a strip club. Jessup went to a private room while his daughter sat at the bar. 

Jessup’s daughter became ill, so they returned to the hotel room. 

She remembered being clothed and in the shower until eventually she woke up naked with her father touching her, the same court documents read. 

According to Indiana police, he said he did “nothing criminal.”

“Defendant told Detectives it was just a ‘f*****-up drunk night,’ ” prosecutors said.

Daughter Provides Victim Impact Statement 

Awaiting sentencing, Jessup was out on a $100,000 surety bond on home detention in Las Vegas. 

“I think he got what was coming for him,” Keesling said. “Sadly, I don’t know if the time he has to serve will make any impact and actually change him, but for this situation for me — justice was definitely served.”

Keesling asked for the longest possible sentence. 

She didn’t reveal her identity until her father was elected into the city council despite the allegations.

“Since my biological father sexually assaulted me on Jan. 26 last year, my life feels like it’s shattered,” Keesling said during the sentencing hearing.

Keesling attends therapy. She’s been diagnosed with PTSD, severe anxiety and depression, and suffers panic attacks. 

“What he did was criminal, and it was a sexual assault,” she told the court. “Fathers are supposed to protect their children. They’re not supposed to violate them when they are vulnerable.”