Former Commonwealth’s Attorney Indicted on Bribery and Public Corruption Charges

LEXINGTON, Ky.— The former Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorney for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery, and Rowan Counties, Ronnie Goldy, 51, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 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 alleges that between November 2017 and November 2020, Goldy defrauded the Commonwealth of Kentucky by using his position as Commonwealth’s Attorney to help a criminal defendant in exchange for bribes.  Specifically, the indictment charges that Goldy solicited and accepted sexual favors and sexually explicit images from this individual; and in return, he made decisions in criminal cases that benefitted this defendant and pressured other officials to do the same.  The indictment lists examples of actions Goldy agreed to perform for this defendant, including seeking their release from incarceration, asking for the withdrawal of arrest warrants, requesting the postponement of a court hearing, and asking another prosecutor to sign an order directing the release of the defendant’s impounded property.      

Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, announced the indictment.

The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI.  The indictment was presented to the grand jury by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andy Boone. 

Goldy will appear for his initial appearance on Monday at 4 p.m.  For the six counts of honest services wire fraud, Goldy faces a maximum of 20 years in prison; for the six counts of electronic communication bribery, he faces a maximum of five years in prison; and for the two counts of federal program bribery, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.  However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes. 

            Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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