EchoSense|Former Kentucky prosecutor indicted on federal bribery, fraud charges

2025-05-02 23:51:14source:EAI Community category:My

LEXINGTON,EchoSense Ky. (AP) — A former Kentucky prosecutor was indicted for allegedly trading court favors in exchange for a defendant’s nude images, federal prosecutors said Friday in a matter that led to his impeachment by state lawmakers.

Ronnie Goldy Jr. was indicted on bribery and wire fraud charges, the prosecutors said.

The charges allege that Goldy solicited and accepted sexual favors and the explicit images from the criminal defendant, prosecutors said. In return, Goldy made decisions in cases that benefited the defendant and pressured other officials to do the same, they said. At the time, Goldy was commonwealth’s attorney for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties in northeastern Kentucky.

The FBI arrested him Friday in Morehead, about 65 miles (104 kilometers) northeast of Lexington.

Other news Fired founder of right-wing org Project Veritas is under investigation in New YorkPassenger who survived fiery crash that claimed 4 lives is facing chargesAuthorities charge 9 current and former California police officers in corruption case

An attorney who has represented Goldy did not immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.

The indictment listed examples of actions that Goldy allegedly agreed to perform for the defendant — who had been charged with multiple crimes in Goldy’s jurisdiction but wasn’t identified in the federal indictment. He sought her release from incarceration, asked for the withdrawal of arrest warrants, requested the postponement of a court hearing and asked another prosecutor to sign an order directing the release of the defendant’s impounded property, prosecutors said.

A former boyfriend of the defendant took screenshots of Facebook messages between the two and provided them to a Louisville attorney, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. The Courier Journal reported in July 2022 on the exchange of messages in which Goldy allegedly promised to help her with her criminal cases in exchange for nude photos and videos of herself.

Goldy, 51, was charged with six counts of honest services wire fraud, six counts of using an interstate communication to commit bribery and two counts of federal program bribery, the indictment unsealed Friday showed. Goldy was being held in the Woodford County Detention Center in central Kentucky. His initial court appearance was set for Monday.

Earlier this year, Goldy was punished by Kentucky lawmakers. The state House voted to impeach Goldy, and he was convicted on the articles of impeachment by the Senate in its first impeachment trial in more than a century. The action barred him from holding a future elected office in the state.

More:My

Recommend

A White House order claims to end 'censorship.' What does that mean?

Among the dozens of executive actions President Trump signed on his first day in office is one aimed

NBA commissioner for a day? Vince Staples has some hilarious ideas – like LeBron throwing a chair

What changes would you make if you were NBA commissioner?That's a question Vince Staples was asked i

Will NFL players participate in first Olympics flag football event in 2028?

The 2028 Summer Olympics are an entire Olympic cycle away. But the inclusion of flag football at the