Former local official in Kentucky faces five years over theft from office
A former official in Kentucky’s Estill County faces five years in prison after pleading guilty in connection with the theft of more than $75,000.
Brian Crowe, 57, who was county clerk, pleaded guilty Friday to one charge of abuse of public trust and filing a false tax return, according to Attorney General Russell Coleman.
Crowe agreed to a five-year sentence under his plea and owes restitution of $79,948 to the Estill County Fiscal Court and $4,687 to the state, according to Coleman’s office.
According to the charges, Crowe wrote himself extra paychecks from January 2023 through February 2024 and filed a tax return for 2023 that failed to report more than $69,000 in income.
“Kentuckians trust their elected officials to serve with honesty and integrity. The actions of this rogue clerk betrayed that trust,” Coleman said in a news release.
The Attorney General’s Office handled the investigation and prosecution.
Crowe resigned in 2024 after a state audit found financial irregularities in the office.
Estill County Judge-Executive Donnie Watson said Crowe was first elected clerk in 2018. He was in his second term when he quit.
Watson appointed Kim Charles to replace Crowe.
County clerks in Kentucky perform a number of functions, including registering voters and running elections, collecting taxes, recording deeds and other documents and issuing vehicle titles and licenses.
