Our friend Jack graduated from Avenues in February, 2026 and intended to settle down in Bucks County. He first needed to travel back to his home state of Indiana to square an outstanding legal debt - a misdemeanor offense from early 2025.

In March of 2026, while waiting outside of a Bartholomew County, IN courtroom, Jack and his public defender were approached by 2 police officers. The officers notified Jack that he was being taken into custody to await trial for 3 additional 'dealing in narcotics (between 5 & 10 grams)' felony charges in Bartholomew county.

Jack, his family, the Avenues support staff, his public defender, the Bartholomew County assistant district attorney and judge presiding over Jack's misdemeanor case were all unaware of these charges.

Jack was immediately taken to Bartholomew County prison where he has been sober, attending meetings and praying since March 2026.

As his first pre-trail hearing on Monday, 7/20 approached Jack was hopeful. He'd been assigned a public defender with an excellent reputation, has no violent criminal history and had just returned to Indiana after successfully completing an intensive, months-long drug rehabilitation program in PA (Avenues). Jack's public defender expected the State of Indiana to offer him a plea deal of time served + 1 year of house arrest.

The State of Indiana's plea offer was 16 years in in prison.

Jack's public defender declined the plea offer, continued Jack's case to November 2026 and offered Jack the following advice:

1. Post bail
2. Get a job
3. Demonstrate that you are a sober, productive member of society
4. Hire a private attorney

At Jack's arraignment in March a 'Cash Only' bail was set in the amount of $75,000. The State of Indiana will accept a reduced bail payment of10% of the total amount ($7,500). For most of Indiana and the rest of the country a licensed bail bondsmen often pays ~90% of the reduced bail amount in exchange for a non-refundable fee of ~10% of reduced amount ($750).

Bartholomew County, IN, however, is the only County in Indiana without a single licensed bail bondsman. As a result Jack's actual reduced bail amount is $7,500 + the following fees:

• Bartholomew County Sheriff's Department processing fee: $5.00
• Bartholomew County payment processing fee (via exclusive 3rd party payment processing vendor allpaid.com): $675.45

The price of Jack's freedom is $8,180.45 - an impossible amount of money for Jack and his family.

This purpose of this campaign is to raise $8,180.45 needed to secure Jack's bonded release from Bartholomew Count jail. Then, as is permitted by the State of Indiana, the bail funds raised here will be repurposed to fund Jack's private legal defense.

If you can give: Jack needs our help.

Please direct questions to:

Jon Collins

[email protected]

215-791-2703