JENNINGS COUNTY, Ind. – A Jennings County resident and former sheriff’s deputy was arrested Tuesday on numerous fraud-related charges after a six-month investigation by detectives with the Indiana State Police (ISP). The inquiry began in early 2020 when allegations of insurance fraud, official misconduct, and forgery were made against James Gholson, 35, of Elizabethtown.
Detectives say that in February 2018, Gholson, who owned an oxygen supply business, reported the theft of oxygen equipment from his residence to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office. He filed insurance claims on both his business and homeowner’s insurance policies. He was evidently paid over $100,000 by one company and over $87,000 from the other company on the same claim.
In April 2019, detectives say that Gholson again reported that oxygen equipment was stolen from his residence. He filed claims on two separate policies and combined, was paid over $65,000. The investigation also determined that Gholson allegedly provided the insurance companies with false invoices showing that he possessed the equipment that had been stolen. He supposedly made a false police report as well, showing that he had reported the theft to the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office.
In November 2019, he again tried to file an insurance claim with his homeowner’s insurance company saying that he had a trailer with two mowers stolen from his residence. At that time, he allegedly provided the insurance company with a false invoice showing he had previously purchased the equipment. He also purportedly gave a false title for the trailer and filed a fraudulent police report.
After the completion of the ISP investigation, Gholson was arrested without incident on Tuesday, December 1, and booked into the Jennings County Jail.
Gholson was a reserve Jennings County Sheriff’s Office deputy from November 2017 to February 2020 and a full-time deputy from February 2020 until he resigned in June when the inquiry began.
