R. Erick Jones

Erick Jones is the great-grandson of Evansville, Indiana Police Captain Andy Friedle, the officer in charge of the infamous police “booze boat” which was used for bootlegging. His debut book, Wide Open Evansville, is the result of several years of research and reveals the true story of the 1920 whiskey ring conspiracy in sensational detail. But his family’s ties to prohibition don't end there. He is also the great-grandson of former Vanderburgh County sheriff's deputy Jesse Jones, who later became a federal prohibition agent.

Although he currently lives in Ohio, he has fond memories of spending summers as a child with his grandparents in Evansville.