Convicted Kentucky coroner faces more charges. One count involves transporting eyes

Former Scott County Coroner John Goble pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday, but he’s still set for future court appearances for additional charges he faces in state court.

Goble was indicted on March 7 for seven charges including two counts of receiving stolen property, abuse of public trust, two counts of official misconduct, perjury and first-degree possession of a controlled substance (oxycodone).

With the exception of the two official misconduct charges, the rest of the charges he faces are all felonious counts.

For receiving stolen property, the grand jury charged that between 2013 and 2017 Goble illegally received large quantities of ammunition, with a value of more than $10,000 but less than $1 million. In addition, during the month of January 2017, Goble was charged with illegally receiving three M1A rifles and 10 Remington 870 shotguns, according to the indictment.

Indictment: Goble used Scott Co. vehicle to transport donor eyes

The grand jury alleged that Goble committed official misconduct in 2017 when he used a vehicle registered to the Scott County Fiscal Court to transport donor eyes from the Kentucky Eye Bank to West Virginia for personal profit, according to the indictment. The grand jury also alleged that he transported moonshine for sale in a vehicle owned by the county government, according to the indictment.

The perjury charge also stems from the transport of the donor eyes, when he testified in court under oath he used his daughter’s car to move the organs. He allegedly knew he used the government vehicle belonging to the fiscal court.

In a previous Herald-Leader article, Goble refuted allegations of delivering donor eyes for personal profit.

“I did not sell donor eyes for profit,” Goble said. The Kentucky Lions Eye Bank seemed to support Goble’s claims, saying in a statement that time was critical for surgery and other means of delivering the organs were not available, so Goble transported them.

“The Kentucky Lions Eye Bank is saddened and concerned by this story and that it involves the mission of donation,” reads the eye bank’s statement. “The Kentucky Lions Eye Bank is an EBBA accredited eye bank that holds in high regard the integrity of our mission and the stewardship of the gift. The mission of the Kentucky Lions Eye Bank is to restore sight through corneal transplant, ocular research and medical education.”

Goble stated at that time he had a verbal contract with the eye banks, and transported the corneas between them. He added he was only used if the surgery was the next day and there was no other way to deliver the corneas. The eye bank reported they utilized Goble’s services twice, when commercial transportation was not feasible due to time constraints.

Additionally, from 2016 to 2018, Goble is alleged to have abused public trust when he authorized monthly payments of $500 in public money to Nathan Morris, a deputy coroner, knowing that he did not work monthly in Scott County.

Finally, the indictment alleges that from May 2017 through December 2017, Goble illegally possessed a controlled substance when he had 90 oxycodone tablets, a schedule II narcotic drug.

Goble and his attorney Fred Peters made three motions to the court for disclosure, dismissal of the case, and a competency evaluation.

The motion for an evaluation stemmed from several exhibits from individuals that Goble was experiencing bouts of amnesia, which the court ruled does not preclude a defendant from receiving a fair trial. Scott County Judge Jeremy Mattox denied Goble’s motion.

“The allegation is that this is a ‘newly discovered’ condition that began in January of this year,” Mattox wrote in court records. “The commonwealth finds such amnesia convenient, disingenuous and another delay tactic utilized by the defense counsel to prevent any trial in this case.”

Mattox also denied Goble’s motions for disclosure and dismissal and stated the reasoning for this request was another tactic to prevent Goble’s trial for the charges.

Goble is scheduled to appear in court on November 14 at 9 a.m. for a jury trial.

This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 2:47 PM.