2026 Primary: Owen County Prosecutor

Ashley Fleetwood – R

I am Ashley Fleetwood, and my husband, Mitchell Fleetwood, and I are lifelong Owen County residents. My parents, Jim and Micki Strunk, are also lifelong residents. My mom is a teacher at McCormick’s Creek Elementary School, and my dad works at Boston Scientific. My parents are both hard workers. I will use the work ethic that was instilled in me from a young age to work hard as prosecutor. I have lived in Owen County all but a few years of my life (I lived in Georgia as a toddler while my dad served in the Navy and in North Carolina in my twenties while Mitchell served in the Marine Corps).

My first job was working at Babbs Supervalu, where I gained so much knowledge and saw firsthand how to give back to Owen County in a meaningful way. I then worked at Owen County State Bank, Owen County Sheriff’s Office and Owen County Prosecutor’s Office, which is where I confirmed that I wanted to attend law school and become prosecutor here in Owen County.

I have spent my entire adult life volunteering with non-profits here in Owen County. Currently, I serve on the board of the Owen County Community Foundation and the Owen County YMCA. I am committed to being an active member of the community. How can I know what matters if I am not involved? I discover so much from interacting with so many different non-profits in our community.

How will your experience serve you in this position? Why are you the best candidate?

I am currently a criminal defense attorney. I intentionally took this position to gain as much knowledge about criminal defense as possible. In sports, it is often said the best offense is a good defense. I have been learning from the other team’s “playbook.” This strategy will help me as prosecutor so that I can ensure a case does not contain major holes. This position has also allowed me to gain experience of different ways of managing a criminal caseload, as I have worked on criminal cases in over 50 counties in Indiana. I will apply what I have learned to Owen County. I believe that there is always something to learn and take away and am very thankful to see how so many different counties work toward the same goal: justice.

I am the only candidate for prosecutor endorsed by the Indiana State Police Alliance. Our officers deserve a prosecutor who supports them. As the spouse of a law enforcement officer for the past 10 years, I care both personally and professionally about our officers. As prosecutor, it is impossible to do the job without the hard work and dedication of all our law enforcement departments. I am committed to maintaining strong working relationships with officers to ensure we all work together to solve problems, reduce crime and prosecute criminal activity. Law enforcement officers see firsthand the impact of strong prosecution. Their endorsement reflects my campaign’s commitment to effective prosecution, accountability and public safety.

What issues do you hope to address and how?

I pride myself on being self-sufficient. I will work to bring the most productivity I can to the job, manage our limited resources well, and remember to think of the big picture, what is best for this community and those who call it home.

In the words of the Indiana State Police Alliance:

“Our members who live in and work in Owen County overwhelmingly support Ashley Fleetwood’s candidacy for prosecutor. Her willingness to work with law enforcement, operate an office with high efficiency and successfully hold criminals accountable will undoubtedly make Owen County safer!”

I look forward to working alongside law enforcement to ensure our community remains safe and victims’ voices are heard.

I believe in treating others with honesty and respect. As prosecutor, there is a duty to uphold justice, which means providing information to the defense in a timely manner and ensuring the criminal justice process is safeguarded, as is constitutionally guaranteed. This also means never compromising my integrity. Integrity and civility have taken me a long way with clients, judges and opposing counsel. I’ve seen that justice can only work when each side is treated with honesty and respect. That experience will guide me if you select me as your next Owen County Prosecutor. I’ll stand firm for victims, protect our community and ensure that every case is handled with integrity, fairness and respect for the law. Because true justice isn’t about winning, it’s about doing what is right.

What else should the public and voters know?

I will never mislead the public or provide inaccurate information. I believe intentionally leaving out pertinent information is the same as lying, which is unacceptable. If a case goes to trial and two charges are lost and two charges won, the public deserves to know about the partial win and partial loss. Only telling the public that two charges were won is deceptive. Transparency is key so that the public is informed about important cases and their outcomes.

I also hold myself to a high level of professionalism. Anyone working with me or for me will be held to the same standard. I also intend to implement standards and procedures for handling cases. I believe that similarly situated defendants should be treated similarly unless there is a justification to deviate from that standard. I plan to incorporate regular training regarding ethics for all personnel, not just attorneys. I will also reduce unnecessary continuances through better preparation and analysis of cases at an early stage. I am committed to building a system that ensures every case is handled ethically, consistently and transparently.

I am proud that I was raised here in Owen County and continue to call it my home. I went to law school with the intention of making a difference in my own community, not just anywhere. My actions and campaign are deliberate. I humbly ask for your support and vote.

Benjamin Kim – R

My name is Benjamin Kim, and I am proud to serve as your Owen County Prosecutor. I joined the Owen County Prosecutor’s Office in 2011 and over the years, I have worked to protect victims, hold offenders accountable and keep our community safe. I have served as deputy prosecutor and chief deputy, and in 2023, I was honored to be selected as prosecutor.

I was born in Seoul, Korea, and came to the United States in 1985 with my mother and brother in search of a better life. We settled in Morocco, Indiana, where I was raised in a small-town community much like Owen County. Growing up, I learned the values of hard work, dedication and personal responsibility—values that continue to guide me today.

I graduated from North Newton High School, Purdue University and Valparaiso University School of Law. I began my legal career as a deputy prosecutor in Lake County before bringing that experience to Owen County.

My wife, Insun, and I are raising our three children—Charles, Anne and Tiffany—right here in Owen County. This is our home, and I am committed to serving it with integrity and dedication.

How will your experience serve you in this position? Why are you the best candidate?

I am a career prosecutor with over 20 years of experience. Over the years, I have handled all kinds of cases from minor traffic tickets to major felonies. I have been in the Owen County Prosecutor’s Office since 2011 and am familiar with its resources and budget, its needs, the challenges it faces and what improvements need to be made to face those challenges.

To that end, I have worked to enhance the capabilities of this office, expanding our capabilities where our prosecutors can now work remotely 24/7, expanding our ability to obtain search warrants to build better cases and expanding our ability to collect and analyze digital forensic evidence.

I have also worked with different agencies and organizations to help provide additional services and support to our victims and prevent crimes. I am also working to produce better, more lasting outcomes to address the problems that affect our community, including the truancy intervention program and working with addiction service providers.

All of this was done at no extra cost to taxpayers. I am committed to continuing this progress to deliver more for less to better serve our community.

What issues do you hope to address and how?

Going forward, I am committed to improving the office and working toward better, more lasting outcomes in our cases while avoiding additional costs to the taxpayer.

I am exploring the use of technology to help us build stronger cases and be better prepared for court, including the responsible use of AI. Our courts are moving faster than ever, and we are seeing more cases going to trial. That means we must be ready. By using modern tools to organize evidence and identify issues early, we can prepare cases more thoroughly and efficiently. This allows us to build stronger cases, hold offenders accountable, reduce delays and keep our community safe.

I am also working on addiction services. Addiction is a serious problem in Owen County, and it plays a big part in many of our cases. I intend to hold offenders accountable and protect our community. If we want to reduce repeat offenses, we have to address the root cause and reduce the risk of reoffending. The people affected by addiction are people in our community, and many families in our county have people who are affected by addiction. If not addressed, these problems will continue to affect our community and our families. So it is important that our outcomes address this issue to not only hold offenders accountable but also help prevent future offenses.

What else should the public and voters know?

I grew up in Morocco, Indiana, which is a small town in Newton County. Being from a small town allows me to be familiar with the needs and values of small rural communities, like Owen County. I was raised by the values of hard work and commitment. Growing up, we cut firewood for heat in the winter, and my first paying job was detasseling corn.

My family and I are also active members of the community. My wife is Insun Kim, and she works at Boston Scientific in Spencer.

My son Charles graduated from Owen Valley High School in 2025. He was involved in many activities including OVTV, Hope Squad, the Robotics Team, Golf Team and Cheer Team. He now attends Indiana University where he had the honor of being “Hoosier” the Bison.

My daughters, Anne and Tiffany, both attend Spencer Elementary School and are members of the Girl Scouts. Both of my daughters attend violin lessons at S.O.U.N.D.S. Anne is on the Student Council and was selected as the Apple Butter Queen in 2021. In 2024, Tiffany was selected as the Apple Butter Princess. I am also a member of the Spencer Masonic Lodge, Sycamore Valley Gun Club and the Gideons. Owen County has been a tremendous blessing to myself and my family, and it is a community that my family and I care deeply about. I am running for prosecutor so that I can continue to serve this community.

Kristin Szczerbik – D

For the past 30 years Kristin Szczerbik has called Owen County home, both to where she has raised her family and later to where she based her successful law practice of nearly two decades, concentrating on criminal and civil litigation throughout Indiana. Before becoming an attorney, Kristin worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Public Defender’s Office-Death Penalty Division, the Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office and for the Indiana State Attorney General’s Office where Kristin established and operated Indiana’s first statewide appellate victim advocacy program to assist crime victims and their families. Kristin holds multiple Bachelor’s and Law degrees from Indiana University, has been a member of several local and state Indiana Bar Associations and the Indiana Public Defender Council, and has been recognized by the District 10 Pro Bono agency for her volunteer legal services provided to Owen County. As a seasoned, high-volume trial attorney for major felony and murder cases, Kristin has certification in the standards and qualifications by the Indiana Public Defender Commission to represent all categories of offenses. Kristin was elected and served a four-year term as a member of the Owen County Council, District 3, from 2007 to 2011, where she served as council liaison to the prosecutor’s office and probation department, was appointed to the Community Correction’s Advisory Board and recognized by the American Legion Spencer Post for her service to Owen County Veterans. Kristin served as the charter President of the Cunot Lion’s Club and coach of the Cloverdale Speech and Debate Team.

How will your experience serve you in this position? Why are you the best candidate?

With over three decades of experience on the front lines of the criminal justice system at the local, state and federal levels of government, coupled with nearly 20 years as a seasoned criminal trial attorney, through both my private law practice and public defense service across the Hoosier state, I bring the skilled perspective and proven knowledge and ability to lead the vigilant pursuit of justice for Owen County on day one. I am an experienced public servant, both in the law and in administering the budget for the office of prosecutor through my elected tenure on the Owen County Council. Through my diverse background in various areas of criminal justice, including the F.B.I, prosecution, nearly two decades as an accomplished courtroom litigator in criminal law and establishing Indiana’s first statewide Victim Advocacy Program through the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, I have a unique understanding of each spoke of the wheel that keeps justice moving forward for the county. My career has been defined by a commitment to justice, standing up for victims and pursuing accountability through rigorous trial work. I have successfully conducted many jury trials ranging from murder and violent crimes to complex felonies and would work closely with law enforcement to build strong, ethical cases to hold those who commit crimes accountable. I am invested in the safety and well-being of our neighbors, in all reaches of the county.

What issues do you hope to address?

As prosecutor, I would be dedicated to equal justice before the law, by diligently enforcing the law to hold individuals accountable for criminal behavior while upholding constitutional safeguards to ensure fair and equal treatment of the innocent, the accused, the victims and the community. Additionally, I believe in strengthening the continuity of each link in the prosecutorial chain by cultivating an environment of multi-agency collaboration with law enforcement, through interagency outreach and joint efforts for training, updates and to address the root causes of crime. It is also imperative to hear the victim’s voice and defend the rights of crime victims to have advocacy and be treated with compassion and dignity throughout the legal process. Further, my approach combines tough-on-crime prosecution for violent and repeat offenders, with innovative and comprehensive community-based solutions for rehabilitation for those suffering from mental health disorders, and expanding restorative justice options for juveniles in the law. Vigorous and just prosecution can be afforded with the appropriate use of resources designed to close the revolving door on repeat offenders and deter crimes of violence.

What else should the public and voters know?

Experience matters in the courtroom, and trust matters in the community and with those agencies working collaboratively with the prosecutor’s offices. I bring both experience and commitment to building and protecting that trust. If elected, I will prioritize victim advocacy, maintain high ethical standards and work diligently to ensure that our streets are safe for our families. I ask for your vote to bring strong, experienced and community-focused leadership to the Owen County Prosecutor’s Office.