Former U.S. Army Major and Wife Sentenced for Child Abuse
A former U.S. Army major and his wife have been sentenced for the fourth time after being accused of abusing their young foster children. Carolyn Jackson was ordered to serve nearly 12 years in prison, while her husband, John Jackson, was sentenced to 9 years. The sentencing was conducted by U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton, who took over the case after a federal appeals court found that the previous judge, Katharine Hayden, failed to consider the children’s injuries and the jury’s findings when determining the cause of the abuse.
Federal prosecutors had appealed each of the previous sentences imposed by Judge Hayden, arguing that they were too lenient. The appellate panel also noted that Judge Hayden would have difficulty setting aside her previous views of the evidence, so the case was reassigned to Judge Wigenton. The last sentencing occurred in October 2021, when Carolyn Jackson was given time served and an additional year of supervised release, while John Jackson was sentenced to 18 months of home confinement.
In 2015, the Jacksons were convicted on multiple counts of child endangerment, and the U.S. attorney’s office had sought prison sentences of 15 years or more. However, the sentencing has been complicated by the fact that the trial took place in federal court since the Jacksons lived at a military facility. Child endangerment is not a federal crime, so state endangerment charges were merged with federal charges. The Jacksons were acquitted of federal assault counts, but prosecutors argued that they should be sentenced under assault guidelines due to the nature of the child endangerment counts.
During the trial, it was revealed that the couple’s foster children suffered from broken bones, severe underweight, and other health problems. The children were removed from the Jacksons’ home in 2010. The couple’s biological son testified that the children were forced to eat hot pepper flakes and drink hot sauce as punishment. The defense argued that the children had preexisting health issues and that the Jacksons’ parenting methods, though unconventional, were not criminal.
The sentencing of the Jacksons has been a contentious issue, with prosecutors deeming the previous sentences inadequate. Now, with the case reassigned to a new judge, the hope is that justice will be served and the severity of the abuse will be appropriately acknowledged.
