Lexington Police detective pleads guilty to charge of child abuse, court records show
A suspended Lexington Police Department detective will plead guilty to criminal abuse of a child in an Estill County court, according to court records.
Almost one year after his arrest, 40-year-old Detective Ryan Raker plead guilty Feb. 23 to second-degree criminal abuse of a child aged 12 or under, court records say.
He was arrested on Feb. 28, 2023, on a warrant issued by the Estill County Sheriff’s Office. Scott Crosbie, the attorney listed for Raker, was not immediately available for comment Monday.
According to court documents, Raker participated in felony mediation and the case was “settled” on Feb. 5. Raker has filed a motion to plead guilty under conditions of an agreement that if he does so, he could potentially receive a sentence of three years, which would be probated for three years, according to court documents.
The agreement, an offer from the Commonwealth Attorney, is not yet finalized, according to court records. If a judge accepts the agreement and places Raker on diversion, he would be under supervised probation.
The day of his arrest, the Lexington Police Department confirmed Raker was relieved of sworn duties and placed on level-four administrative assignment — suspended from duty with pay.
Raker will remain on administrative duty until the case has been adjudicated, Hannah Sloan, spokesperson with the LPD, said Sunday. She gave no additional comment.
Raker has worked for the Lexington Police Department since 2009, according to a database of city employees previously published by the Lexington Herald-Leader.
When an officer is placed under a level four administrative assignment, they have specific restrictions. Under administrative assignment, officers are prohibited from exercising police authority, their arrest powers are revoked, they cannot carry a deadly weapon, they are required to turn in their credentials, and their access to the department’s network and email are revoked.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 22.
