Springfield, Ill. – John W. Jackson Jr., 45, of Springfield, Ill., is behind bars on federal charges of arson and insurance fraud after allegedly torching his own gun range for a $1.62 million insurance payout. The indictment, handed down May 8, 2019, remained under seal until Jackson’s arrest on May 14 by federal authorities.
At his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Schanzle-Haskins, Jackson faced charges tied to the September 6, 2017 fire at the Springfield Shooting Center, located at 4885 Industrial Drive. The blaze not only destroyed the facility but injured a Springfield Fire Department investigator during the response. Jackson and his wife were sole owners of Springfield Shooting Center, Inc., at the time and were behind on installment payments for both the building and its inventory.
The indictment accuses Jackson of deliberately setting the fire to escape mounting financial obligations. Weeks before the blaze, in July 2017, the business secured a commercial insurance policy: $1.5 million for the building and $125,000 for business personal property. Prosecutors say Jackson exploited that coverage with a fraudulent claim totaling $1.62 million.
He’s also charged with wire fraud for submitting false statements to the insurer, including claims that certain firearms and equipment were stolen in the fire—property that had already been sold. The use of electronic communications to file the false claim triggered federal wire fraud jurisdiction.
If convicted, Jackson faces up to 40 years in prison for arson causing injury, 20 years for wire fraud, and an additional mandatory 10 years for using fire to commit wire fraud—this last sentence to be served consecutively. Each of the three counts carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Z. Weir. The investigation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield Police Department, and the Springfield Fire Department. Jackson remains in U.S. Marshals custody ahead of his May 16 arraignment. An indictment is not a conviction—Jackson is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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