Owen County Prosecutor’s Office

03/10/2026

🌷Today we recognize International Women’s Day — a day to honor the strength, resilience, and courage of women around the world.

At Sojourn House, we have the privilege of walking alongside women who are rebuilding their lives after addiction, exploitation, trauma & hardship.

Recovery is not just about leaving something behind — it’s about discovering who you are meant to become.

To the women in our program, our alumni, our volunteers, and our supporters...and those we have yet to meet, your courage inspires us every day.

03/02/2026

On March 2, 2026 Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim filed charges of Involuntary manslaughter, a level 5 felony against Samantha Mayhew of Poland, Indiana for the death of Kiersten Moore. Ms. Mayhew had an initial hearing on 3-2-2026. Her bond was set at $30,000.00 cash, surety, or 10%. The Court also set a pretrial conference to be held on 4-16-2026, Final Pretrial Conference to be held on 7-10-2026, and set a Jury trial date of 8-18-2026.

For any additional information concerning this matter, please see the probable cause affidavit that has been filed with the court and is a matter of public record.

The Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim would like to remind everyone that all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

02/27/2026

CALLING ALL 1ST RESPONDERS AND RECOVERY COMMUNITY! It's that time!

Join us for our 2nd annual C.A.R.E Co****le Tournament and Family Cookout.
Sign up with this link by 4/24
https://forms.gle/yN4iKej9oXTeqELy5

We can't wait to celebrate community, recovery and a little (or a lot) of healthy competition with you and your families!

02/26/2026

Update: On March 20, 2026, the Court sentenced Victor Holding following a jury trial in which he was found guilty of two counts of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 felonies) and admitted to being a habitual offender.

The Court imposed the following sentence:
• Count 2: 5 years
• Count 3: 5 years
• Habitual Offender Enhancement: 4 years

The sentences on Counts 2 and 3 will be served concurrently, with the habitual offender enhancement added, for a total sentence of 9 years at the Indiana Department of Correction.

This sentence will be served consecutive to a sentence the defendant is currently serving out of Delaware County and any sentence he receives in his pending Vigo County case.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
On January 18, 2024, Victor Holding was charged with multiple felonies, including 2 counts of Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon. The State also filed a notice of intent to seek habitual offender status.

A jury trial was conducted February 17, 2026 through February 20, 2026. The jury found Holding guilty on both of those charges. Following the trial, Holding admitted the allegations contained in the State’s notice of intent to seek habitual offender status.

His sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2026.

Prosecutor Benjamin Kim and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Parker Trulock represented the State. Owen County Deputy Lt. Clint Wampler served as the State’s designated witness at trial.

Special thanks to the officers of the Owen County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police, and the Indiana State Police laboratory for their dedication and service in helping secure this guilty verdict and keeping the community safe.

02/05/2026

Defendant sentenced to 8 years for child molesting
On February 4, 2026, Heath Bennett pleaded guilty to Child Molesting, a Level 4 Felony.
The terms of the plea agreement allowed the Defendant to be sentenced in the Court’s discretion with a maximum sentence of 8 years at the Indiana Department of Correction.
The Court sentenced Heath Bennett to:
• 8 years at the Indiana Department of Correction.
• Lifetime s*x offender registration.
• $500 s*xual assault victims’ assistance fee as required by law.
• $100 child abuse prevention fee as required by law.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Parker Trulock represented the State in this case.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Owen County Sheriff’s Office, Owen County Department of Child Services and Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Center for helping secure justice in this case.

02/05/2026

Defendant sentenced to 12 years for OWI crash that critically injured 10-year old

On February 1, 2024 Brian Walls was charged with multiple felonies, including:
• Causing Catastrophic Injury When Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More, a Level 4 Felony, and
• Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More, enhanced due to a prior OWI conviction (also a Level 4 Felony).
A jury trial was conducted December 15 through December 18, 2025. The jury found Walls guilty on both of those charges.
At sentencing on January 30, 2026, the Court imposed the maximum sentence:
• 12 years at the Indiana Department of Correction
• 10 year driver’s license suspension
• $200 alcohol countermeasure fee and $100 child abuse prevention fee.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Parker Trulock and Deputy Prosecutor June Caudill represented the State. Former Owen County Deputy Joseph Musgrove (now with Martinsville Police Department) served as the lead officer in this case and State’s representative at trial.
We extend our sincere thanks to the agencies below who helped secure justice in this case:
• The Owen County Sheriff’s Office
• Owen County EMS
• Indiana State police
• Indiana State Department of Toxicology
• Riley Children’s Hospital
• Members of the public who aided the victim prior to first responders arriving at the scene.

12/11/2025

The Owen County Prosecutor's Office recently met with a representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Going forward in our initial victim contact on any and all OWI cases as well as under the influence cases where we have a victim who is either injured or has incurred property damage. We will be including contact information for M.A.D.D.’s. victim specialist who can provide additional services free of charge to victims of drunk driving.
M.A.D.D. also provides information and resources in addition to the information a prosecutor’s offices can typically provide.

Uniquely, MADD’s Victim Services program is available at no cost to provide emotional support, information, and resources to the victims and their families throughout the criminal justice process.
Working together, we can provide better services to support our victims, all at no extra cost to the taxpayers.

Resources:
https://madd.org/victim-assistance/

10/21/2025

On October 16th, 2025 Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim filed an eight-count criminal information against Charles (Chip) May. Mr. May is charged with 2 counts of Child Molesting, both Level 4 Felonies; Child Solicitation, a Level 5 Felony; Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, a Level 5 Felony; Performing Sexual Conduct in the Presence of a Minor, a Level 6 Felony; Dissemination of Matter Harmful to Minors, a Level 6 Felony; Intimidation, a Level 6 Felony; and Distribution of an Intimate Image, a Class A Misdemeanor. An Initial hearing is scheduled for Thursday October 23rd, 2025.

For additional information, please see the probable cause affidavit that has been filed with the Court and is a matter of public record.

The Owen County Prosecutor Benjamin Kim would like to remind everyone that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

10/17/2025

Owen County Clean-Up Day
Saturday October 25th
8:00am - 4:00pm
Rain/Shine, While Dumpsters Last

10/14/2025

If you or anyone you know in Owen County has hit hard times or needs assistance, there may be resources that can help. Also, SCCAP can help with energy assistance. Please share this information with anyone you know who may need assistance. With your help, we can watch out for our friends and neighbors and help strengthen our community. Special thanks to Ms. Joy Dickson from SCCAP for her hard work in getting this information together.

10/11/2025

Please vaccinate your pets. Also, if you have a dog, failure to properly keep your dog vaccinated can result in legal liability. Under Indiana law, it is an infraction if you have a dog that is not properly vaccinated against rabies. If that dog bites someone and causes injury, it becomes a misdemeanor.

The Owen Valley FFA is excited to host a Fall Pet Vaccination Clinic on November 1 at Owen Valley High School. This will be the last clinic of 2025, so please ensure your pets are vaccinated.

09/05/2025

Our IV-D office has been a special source of pride for our office in the recent years. Often their achievements go unnoticed. We are mindful of the frustrations voiced by custodial parents they serve. And those frustrations are completely understandable. People should pay to provide for their children. Sadly, collecting child support can be enormously hard at times. That said, the caseworkers at the IV-D office do an outstanding job of collecting child support. And this service is provided free of charge.

The state and the federal government measures performance of child support offices in four key areas every fiscal year beginning in October and ending in September. They are Paternity Establishment, Order Establishment, Current Support Collections, and Arrearage Collections. In October the performance figures are reset and counties have until the following September to try to meet the new performance figures each year. Since 2023, this office has met or exceeded every performance metric set by the State of Indiana and the Federal government, which is shown by being coded in green. In 2023 we hit that mark in September. This year, we hit it in July.

Much of this work is done by our caseworkers led by our administrator Callie Jennings. She, deputy prosecutor June Caudill and our other caseworkers Jenny Osborne and Krystle Bradford work tirelessly to provide this service to custodial parents in Owen County.

If you have child support questions or need help with your child support case please contact the Owen County IV-D office at (812) 829-5006.