HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. — A current central Indiana county commissioner has pleaded guilty in a Nevada sexual assault case, days after being elected to his local County Council. John D. Jessup – a current Commissioner for Hancock County’s District 1 – pled guilty this week in a Las Vegas court to one count of attempted sexual assault. The plea deal lowered Jessup's charge from a Level A felony to a Level B felony - which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. John D. Jessup mugshot Last week, Jessup was elected to the Hancock County Council as one of three Republican candidates. He received over 15,000 votes while both Democrat challengers barely cracked 10,000 each. Jessup, 49, has been held in Las Vegas since June 26 after being arrested in Hancock County and extradited to Nevada. He was granted house arrest on Aug. 10 after posting a $100,000 bond and has been staying in the area as his case progressed. The arrest stemmed from a reported sexual assault of a woman in January after she and Jessup had a drunken night out in Vegas. The victim told police Jessup forced her to drink high amounts of alcohol before taking advantage of her in his hotel room and sexually assaulting her. Witnesses who were with Jessup and the victim corroborated the woman’s story to detectives, adding that Jessup said “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” multiple times throughout the night. At the time of his arrest, Jessup reportedly told police there was "nothing criminal" about what he'd done while describing the incident as a “f***ed up, drunk night.” For more information on the alleged assault and Jessup's arrest, click here. ‘You disgust me’: Deputy prosecutor fired for equating Trump voters to Nazis A jury trial in Jessup's case was originally scheduled to begin on Feb. 24, 2025. That trial has since been canceled following his plea deal Thursday and Jessup is now set to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. PST on April 24, 2025. While Jessup's attempted sexual assault charge is a probational offense, he recently told The Greenfield Reporter he expects the Las Vegas prosecutor will ask for prison time. "We’ll be arguing for probation while the prosecution will argue from eight to 20 [years]," the paper quoted Jessup as saying. "I didn’t have much of a choice today, it was either take the deal or go to trial... The other deal that was available for me today was to take four years in prison." Hancock County Republican Chair Janice D. Silvey told FOX59/CBS4 last week that Jessup promised to resign if he's convicted of a felony and that a caucus would be held to fill his position. “Mr. Jessup decided to keep his name on the ballot after charges were filed. He later verbally and via text committed to resigning if elected. Until the legal process concludes or he resigns, the party has no further role. Pursuant to Indiana Code 5-8-1-38, should Mr. Jessup be convicted of a felony offense, he is ineligible to hold an office in Indiana. If Mr. Jessup resigns or a felony conviction occurs, the party would then need to call a caucus to fill his position.“ – Hancock County GOP Jessup reportedly told the Daily Reporter that he is planning to resign from the council as soon as he is officially sworn. Jessup can only be sworn in after the election is certified in Hancock County, which the newspaper said is scheduled for Friday. “It’s been my greatest honor serving the people of Hancock County and I’m deeply, deeply ashamed and profoundly sorry for the shame that I brought to the county,” Jessup said. FOX59/CBS4 reached out on Thursday afternoon for a statement on Jessup's guilty plea and to confirm whether or not he plans to resign. We have not heard back as of 2:45 p.m.