KY mayor says critics are part of a ‘pedo clan,’ demands lawsuits against him be dropped
An unusual scene unfolded Thursday afternoon in Laurel County, as London Mayor Randall Weddle hosted a news conference to double down on claims that several of his critics in the city are part of an organized group of pedophiles.
Those critics have filed two separate lawsuits against Weddle for defamation this month because of the mayor’s accusations, but Weddle insisted Thursday he has proof they’re true.
“I have been standing here for four years, trying to fight a corrupt system down here that has been controlled by a pedo clan,” Weddle said.
The public fight began late last year when three residents — brothers John and James Phelps, and Elijah Jarvis — were critical of the city after police shot and killed 63-year-old Doug Harless while trying to serve a warrant for stolen property. A mix-up in housing numbers in the rural area led police to the home of Harless, even though he was not listed as a suspect in the investigation.
Weddle was then a guest this month on a since-deleted episode of the podcast “True Crimecast,” where he accused the Phelps brothers of sex trafficking, drug dealing and murder, according to a defamation lawsuit filed Feb. 14 by the brothers.
Brothers John and James Phelps have never been charged with any of those crimes, court records show.
A third brother, Doug Phelps, was a school administrator before pleading guilty to possession of child pornography and tampering with a witness in 2013.
He was sentenced to three years in prison, but he was pardoned by former Gov. Matt Bevin in December 2019.
Weddle made similar accusations about pedophilia during the podcast episode against Jarvis, who also has not been charged with any crimes.
John and James Phelps sued Weddle and the city of London, and Jarvis sued Weddle and the podcast hosts Feb. 21.
Brandon Voelker, the lawyer for all three men, said the statements are “100% false.”
Weddle claimed Voelker was critical of the city in videos posted to the social media platform TikTok. Voelker said he has never posted on the platform.
“Anyone who continues to defame my clients, we will seek redress for that defamatory and reckless conduct,” Voelker told the Herald-Leader Thursday evening. “I look forward to asking (Weddle) questions under oath to ascertain all the facts that he believes and asserts his claims — based on what he placed in his conference today — that he believes what he is saying is truthful.”
Weddle and his personal lawyer, Jeremy Bryant, brought hundreds of pages of documents they claim prove the mayor’s critics are part of “deep corruption” in the town of about 7,600 residents.
Bryant and Weddle passed out massive stacks of interview transcripts, police investigation files, emails, texts and photos they claim outline the trio’s crimes.
Kentucky State Police did not immediately respond to a request for information about the accusations Thursday.
What the defamation lawsuits allege
The plaintiffs in both lawsuits claim Weddle made public and defamatory statements about them.
John and James Phelps, both former Kentucky State troopers, claim Weddle’s accusations are false and intended to damage their reputation.
In addition to claiming the mayor’s accusations are false, Jarvis notes in his lawsuit that last month, county 911 officials tampered with a package of records he requested about last year’s police shooting, and that Jarvis was removed from a heated city council meeting in early February.
Weddle, 43, was elected in 2022 to serve a four year term.
On Thursday, the mayor’s lawyer gave the defamation plaintiffs an ultimatum: Drop the lawsuits by 5 p.m. Friday, or the mayor will line Main Street in London with alleged victims and their supporters.
“If this case is still pending past 5 p.m. tomorrow, we are going down that rabbit hole,” Bryant said. “And we are going to find everything that is in it.”
Voelker said his clients have no plans to dismiss the suits.
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 6:59 PM.