(Source: heraldbulletin.com) ANDERSON – The son of an Anderson businessman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion he attempted to transfer Section 8 properties without the permission of his father, who has owned some of them for as long as 30 years.
Madison County sheriff's deputies arrested Ben Thomas Jewell Jr., 54, 200 block of South Madison Avenue, Anderson, on preliminary charges of Class C felony forgery and Class D felony theft. He faces three counts for each charge.
Ben T. Jewell Sr., who is believed to be in his 80s, also owns Tommy J’s Pizza, 1000 W. Third St., and Tommy J’s Pizza Café at Hoosier Park Racing & Casino. The younger Jewell manages the restaurants.
Jewell Jr. said this situation stemmed from things that happened in 2012 and that his arrest was out of the blue.
He said an attorney has been hired to straighten everything out.
"It's a personal family matter, but I'm sure it's going to be resolved," he said.
Jewell Sr. could not be reached for comment.
However, according to an arrest warrant affidavit prepared by HUD Special Agent Jarred Burns, Jewell Sr. said to investigators, “Ben has a little con in him, and I’m not sure where he gets it.”
At question are several properties owned by Jewell Sr. that an Anderson Police Department investigator and special agent with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General believe may have been transferred by Jewell Jr. to a third party without his father’s permission.
According to the affidavit, the problem came to the HUD special agent's attention in October 2014 as he investigated alleged fraud involving one of the properties at 1025 Morton St., Anderson. The problem came to light because of a commercial fire claim made to Erie Insurance, the affidavit said...