KY prosecutors dismiss slew of cases after former deputy pleads guilty to misconduct
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Former Lincoln County deputy Ron Luster pleaded guilty to felony charges.
- Prosecutor said Luster removed his body camera and later turned it back on during the March 29, 2025 search.
- Investigators reviewed video and interviews, prompting dismissal of dozens of related cases.
Prosecutors have dismissed several outstanding cases involving a Kentucky sheriff’s deputy who pleaded guilty Wednesday to misconduct charges.
Ron Luster, 55, of Hustonville, pleaded guilty to charges of first-degree official misconduct, abuse of public trust less than $10,000 and tampering with physical evidence at a hearing April 15, commonwealth’s attorney David Dalton said in a news release.
The charges stem from a March 2025 incident in which Luster turned off his body camera to rifle through a bag of cash while executing a search warrant.
“Due to Luster’s conduct, we had to dismiss dozens of cases which resulted in the loss of hundreds of hours of work by all levels of law enforcement,” Dalton said in the release. “His conduct cannot go unpunished.”
Dalton recommended Luster serve three years in prison and not be granted probation, shock probation or conditional release.
Luster was a deputy with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office but was fired March 13, 2026, after he was indicted on misconduct charges. Dalton said the charges stemmed from Luster’s actions while executing a search warrant March 29, 2025.
According to court documents, Luster removed the body camera during the search and rummaged through a bag containing cash. He stuffed some of the money from the bag into his pockets before turning the camera back on.
“The Defendant put everyone in a horrible position with his behavior,” Dalton said in the release. “Officers need to be held to a higher standard and his conduct cast a shadow on the good efforts other officers.”
Officials learned of the incident in February, and Luster was placed on administrative leave. Lincoln County Sheriff Shawn Hines fired the deputy after a Lincoln County grand jury handed down the indictment about a month later.
“We have learned some valuable knowledge from this ordeal and have put into place safeguards to prevent similar occurrences,” Hines said in a news release. “We are moving on from this and continuing our fight for a safer Lincoln County.”
Luster is scheduled to be sentenced Monday, June 15.
