John D. Jessup, 49, Shirley, is a Hancock County Commissioner who has been accused of sexual assault in Las Vegas. He made his initial hearing in a Las Vegas Court Thursday morning, according to court records.
HANCOCK COUNTY — John D. Jessup, the Hancock County Commissioner accused of sexual assault from an incident in January, was sent to Las Vegas and booked into the Clark County Jail there earlier this week before making his first court appearance in the case.
Bail was set at $100,000 by a Las Vegas Judge during Jessup’s initial hearing Thursday morning, according to court documents.
Jessup was extradited to Las Vegas from the Shelby County jail late Tuesday night, nearly two weeks after he was arrested on a felony charge of sexual assault. Officials with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said in an official report filed June 8 that the sexual assault of a woman happened at a Las Vegas hotel after Jessup “fed” the woman alcohol during a drunken night on the town in late January.
Court records show Jessup’s case was assigned to the Las Vegas Regional Justice Center, Courtroom 7C, and will now start the process of going through the legal system in Nevada. Jessup had an initial hearing Thursday morning when, according to court records, the two sides agreed on how to move forward with the case.
“The state has provided clear and convincing evidence that no less restrictive alternative to monetary bail will satisfy its interests in ensuring the defendant’s presence and/or community safety,” court documents said.
Court records show the judge set bail at $100,000 total, with a release order for bail and electronic monitoring at a high level, which officials in Las Vegas tell the Daily Reporter normally means house arrest if Jessup meets all the other requirements of release. The court also put a “no contact” order in place for the victim and filed the order as well as provided Jessup the order in open court. Court records show Jessup is due back in court for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) July 11.
As of late Thursday, Jessup was still listed as an inmate in the Clark County Jail after being transferred from the Shelby County Jail where he’d been since June 14.
Hancock County law enforcement officials told the Daily Reporter while nearly all county residents arrested go to the Hancock County Jail, Jessup due to his position as a county commissioner, was taken to the Shelby County jail June 14. Sheriff Brad Burkhart noted he didn’t want to hold an elected official at a county facility after Las Vegas officials filed the sexual assault charge.
Officials in Las Vegas issued an arrest warrant for Jessup June 8 after an investigation that began in February left officials with the determination Jessup did sexually assault a woman at a Las Vegas hotel after a night of drinking.
Officials in the police report released earlier this week quoted Jessup as saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” during the night filled with alcohol, gambling and a visit to a strip club. Then in an interview conducted by the Shirley Police Department (SPD) several months after the alleged incident, Jessup admitted to officials he did sexually assault the woman. The report went on to say that Jessup didn’t feel it was a criminal offense, but rather a result of a drunken night.
READ MORE: Details of Jessup’s arrest released
Jessup, who is a current Hancock County Commissioner serving Vernon, Green and Brown townships, won a primary in May to become a member of the Hancock County Council in 2025. He is still on the ballot for that position and would need to be one of the top three vote-getters of the five candidates to join the Hancock County Council in 2025.
Hancock County officials have told the Daily Reporter that Jessup has been approached about taking his name off the ballot due to his arrest and the nature of the charges, but he declined to do so.
Sexual assault is considered a Category A felony in Nevada, which is the most serious level of felony in the state. State law states it is illegal to engage in sexual penetration either by force or without lawful consent. The sentence for a sexual assault conviction depends on several factors, including the victim’s age, whether the victim was injured, and the defendant’s criminal history. According to Las Vegas statutes, for forced sexual penetration or sexual penetration without the ability to consent, the maximum penalty is life with the possibility of parole after 10 years.
