Ex-KY jail administrator admits to stealing taxpayer dollars, faces probation
A former jail administrator in Eastern Kentucky could get probation after he pleaded guilty to amended charges related to stealing thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Timothy Kilburn, 64, agreed to plead guilty April 28 to amended charges: three misdemeanor counts of official misconduct and abuse of public trust involving $10,000 or more but less than $100,000.
He was originally charged with felonies: three counts of theft by unlawful taking over $500 and less than $10,000, and two counts of theft by unlawful taking more than $10,000 but less than $1 million, according to his June 2025 indictment.
The charges stem from Kilburn’s time as administrator of the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Perry County.
The plea documents say Kilburn “knowingly received cash from workers compensation checks” dispersed to employees on three occasions between 2013 and 2015.
In addition, he took $10,000 from the jail’s accounts that he intentionally used as his own during 2014.
Kilburn worked as the administrator of the regional jail from 2005 until he was fired in 2015.
The plea deal and indictment did not disclose how much money Kilburn took, but he agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $30,000 back to the Kentucky River Regional Jail.
As part of his plea agreement, Kilburn agreed to testify against another defendant, Elisha Caudill.
Caudill, 45, is charged in Perry County Circuit Court with tampering with public records, abuse of public trust and theft by unlawful taking $500 or more but less than $10,000.
Caudill agreed to plead guilty in April. Her indictment and guilty plea were not immediately available in online court records.
In exchange for Kilburn’s information, prosecutors with the Attorney General’s office agreed not to press charges for additional crimes during his time working at the jail.
Kilburn faces a five-year prison sentence for the felony charge of abuse of public trust. However, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of probation.
Kilburn and Caudill’s sentencings are scheduled for June 25.
