Federal judge refuses to toss charges of mail fraud, theft against Pike County judge
A federal judge declined to dismiss criminal charges against a Kentucky judge accused of stealing more than $400,000 in government funds through his office.
Pike County Circuit Judge Howard Keith Hall faces two counts of mail fraud and one count of theft of government funds.
U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove ruled Oct. 3 the charges against Hall will proceed.
According to Hall’s indictment, he hired a part-time county attorney during his time as the Pike County prosecutor and paid the part-time attorney $440,587, including gross pay and benefits, despite the part-time attorney performing almost no work for Hall’s office.
The indictment also alleges Hall claimed to work at the part-time attorney’s private firm.
The Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission issued an order suspending Hall in April, citing the federal indictment.
But Hall requested the federal judge throw out the indictment altogether, claiming the grand jury returned an indictment “that simply does not charge a crime.”
In his request, Hall made his argument for dismissal on the grounds Kentucky law does not set a minimum workload requirement for part-time assistant county attorneys.
In a previous statement to the Herald-Leader, he disputed the allegations through his attorney, Guthrie True.
“Judge Hall has been a faithful servant of the people of Pike County for decades and takes personal offense at the false allegations. We intend to vigorously contest the allegations at trial and look forward to the opportunity to do so,” True said in the statement.
Tatenhove ruled that Hall’s reasoning did not meet the high bar necessary to dismiss an indictment. Further, the federal judge said, if proven, the facts listed in the indictment would be federal crimes.
Hall remains under indictment, and a jury selection for trial is scheduled for Nov. 7.
