Monday, March 11, 2024

Madison County Man Indicted for Arson-Insurance Fraud

 A Madison County grand jury indicted Charlie Bennett for arson and insurance fraud in December.  A video allegedly shows a man wearing a Bennett Landscaping" shirt pouring what appears to be fuel all over the interior of an excavator before he allegedly set it on fire.  The video is posted below.

The alleged arson took place on October 14, 2023 at a property owned by Bennett on Hawkins-Thompson Lane in Madison County.  An alleged victim reported the arson to the Madison County Sheriff's Office. 

Madison County deputies arrived at the scene and initiated an arson investigation.  JJ obtained a copy of the police report through a public records request.  The police report states:

On Saturday, October 14, 2023 I, Deputy Kyle Millican was dispatched to 246 Hawkins-Thompson Lane in reference to arson.

Upon arrival, I met with xxxx who advised that he leases his property from a subject, Charles Bennett. XXXXX stated that Bennett has been trying to get him off of the lease, and has been doing things to make him vacate the property XXXX advised that he received a call from Investigator Connor Smith last night. Investigator Smith advised him that Bennett called and told him that he had burned some of XXXX's lumber during the night, and asked how much trouble he would be in. XXXX stated he then came to the property, and saw that the lumber was on fire. XXXX contacted the Fire Department, and Fire was able to distinguish the fire. XXXX advised that approximately $5000.00 worth of lumber had been destroyed by the fire, or the diesel fluid that Bennett poured on the wood. XXXX advised that EOC had also been out, and advised of the situation in reference to the burn ban.

XXXX advised me that Fire told him that they had to cut the lock on the gate to get onto the property. XXXX stated that someone would have had to light the fire, and then leave and lock the gate behind them. XXXX advised the only people that know the combination to the lock are him, his dad, and Bennett. I contacted Arson Investigator Joel Evans in reference to the situation. Investigator Evans advised XXXX that he would follow up with Investigator Smith in reference to what Bennett told him on the phone call. I provided XXXX with a case card for future reference.

 Madison deputies investigated and reported more information about the alleged crime: 


 

 Assistant District Attorney Ashley Allen presented the case to the Madison County grand jury.  The grand jury indicted Bennett on December 8, 2023 for arson of insured property and Third Degree Arson.  The indictment charges: 

CHARLES BENNETT, on or about the 5th day of April, 2023, in the county aforesaid and within the jurisdiction of this Court, did unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously, with the intent to defraud Builders Mutual Insurance Company, caused to be burned, or procured the burning of a CMI175 mulcher, the personal property of Bennett Landscaping, which at the time was insured by Builders Mutual Insurance Company against loss or damage by fire,...

 CHARLES BENNETT, on or about the 13th day of October, 2023, in the county aforesaid and within the jurisdiction of this Court, did willfully, unlawfully, maliciously and feloniously set fire to or burn personal property belonging to another person, Hade Chase Allen, ....

The case is assigned to Judge Steve Ratcliff.  Judge Ratcliff set Bennett's trial for May 13.   Attorney Rick Mitchell represents the defendant .

 

 

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought I had read in the report that he is from Rankin County but then I read on the Sheriff Dept report that he has all his teeth. I was obviously reading too fast at first.

But how damned stupid do you have to be to think anybody will believe these pieces of equipment would spontaneously combust? Can't believe the insurance people paid off the first loss without suspecting arson.

Mighty young - Hope he did not breed.

Anonymous said...

Would someone please give me the Cliff Notes version?

Anonymous said...

Been a long time coming!

Seems nice said...

A real red neck crime. Was he originally from Rankin County? Does he do landscaping in a bikini too?

Anonymous said...

Honestly surprised the accused firebug wasn't showing his plumber's crack.


Anonymous said...

It was a blue collar crime

Anonymous said...


a firebug-

Anonymous said...

We're moving on to bigger, and better things. The trooper was just XXX, now we are doing XXXX. This is getting gooder, and gooder.

Anonymous said...

No matter how bad you want to change, merely living in Madison County does not take the Mississippi redneck out of you. But hopefully pointing fingers at another county helps you feel better about yourself.

Anonymous said...

Clear video is about the ONLY way to prove arson and convict.

Anonymous said...

These mulchers burn all of the time.

But, its generally due to debris catching fire in and under the engine compartment. Not, because some idiot redneck decides he's mad at the A/C.

I hope they send this bastard to Parchman.

Anonymous said...

Pretty sure just pouring the diesel on the ground was a major environemntal violation, even before he allegedly scored the daily double of arson and insurance fraud.

That the act is on video with his name on the shirt is chef-kiss!

Why can't we have nice things in the 'Sip?

Anonymous said...

Charlie has been running that mouth and f'ing people over for far too long. Looks like karma has finally come back to bite him. Let's see if daddy and his "friend who is a judge" is going to get you out of trouble now!!!!!!! He, his mouth and his snapchat are his own worst enemy!

Anonymous said...

At 3:16 - Let me know the next time you see a freezer in Madison County, roadside, turned over and used as a county garbage container. $200 reward. Don't back over your freezer getting over that way to look.

$400 reward for a meth lab.

$600 for a naked trooper - male or female.

Anonymous said...

To be a little more accurate, he does not live in Madison the City. He has a CANTON address, a suburb of Pearl.

Anonymous said...

2.04.Almost everyone in Madison was originally from Rankin County.

Anonymous said...

I'ma think he will need a new insurance agent to get him coverage with a different company, and that might not be the easiest thing to do at the moment.

If he has any other equipment financed, then the lienholder probably doesn't think the insurance is optional; hope he can come up with the nut to pay it off and own it free and clear, or he likely won't be having it in his possession much longer.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations kid. You just graduated.

Anonymous said...

@ 4:28 - I'm sure there might be some, but I never lived in Niknar and don't know anybody in Madison who DID.

Publish your survey when you have time.

Anonymous said...

There are Madison haters in these comments. You mad, bro?

Anonymous said...

I hope this POS goes straight to CMCF for a very long time.

Anonymous said...

No way! If he had been from Niknar he would have been wearing a Grateful Dead T.

Anonymous said...

So his attorney also doubles as a Madison "the city" judge
Bet we can guess where this will go

Daddy will repay the insurance company and The " Torch" will go free

Anonymous said...

How dumb does one have to be?

Anonymous said...

Anyone who knows him, knows what type of person he is. Nobody is surprised at all. Con artists will be con artists.

Anonymous said...

9:21 hammer meet nail. If you know him, you know.

Anonymous said...

That was Tommy’s dozer. He’s gunna be pissed.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.