Former Kentucky Commonwealth Attorney Ronnie Lee Goldy, Jr. (screengrab via WLEX-TV)
A disgraced Kentucky prosecutor who was suspended, impeached, and convicted in 2022 for pressuring a criminal defendant to send him nude photos in exchange for legal favors pleaded not guilty to 14-count federal indictment Monday.
Ronnie Lee Goldy was the Commonwealth's Attorney for Kentucky's 21st Judicial Circuit, which includes Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties, from 2013 until his resignation in February. In his capacity as prosecutor, Goldy litigated felony criminal cases.
The indictment alleges that between November 2017 and November 2020, he used his position to "help a criminal defendant in exchange for bribes."
"Specifically, the indictment charges that Goldy solicited and accepted sexual favors and sexually explicit images from this individual; and in return, he made decisions in criminal cases that benefitted this defendant and pressured other officials to do the same," an announcement from the Justice Department says.
Goldy allegedly agreed to perform various favors for the defendant, such as seeking their release from incarceration, asking for the withdrawal of arrest warrants, requesting the postponement of a court hearing, and asking another prosecutor to sign an order directing the release of the defendant's impounded property.
Goldy's actions with respect to the defendant — believed to be Misty Helton — ultimately led to the lawyer's being ousted from his role as prosecutor. Although Helton is not named in the indictment, the details of the investigation underlying Goldy's impeachment, previously reported by Law&Crime, appear to match the misdeeds alleged in the charging document.
The investigation revealed that Goldy communicated with Helton via Facebook Messenger for several years, often asking Helton to send nude pictures and videos. Helton sometimes complied, later saying that she felt indebted to Goldy for sexual favors.
Investigators found that when questioned, Goldy showed "a complete disregard" for rules governing proper communication with a person represented by counsel. Likewise, investigators concluded that the relationship between Goldy and Helton "was not in the normal course of business for a Commonwealth Attorney," as Goldy had argued.
A federal grand jury charged the 51-year-old former prosecutor with six counts of honest services wire fraud, six counts of using an interstate communication to commit bribery, and two counts of federal program bribery. If convicted, Goldy faces up to 20 years in prison.
Goldy was held at the Woodford County Detention Center without bond from his arrest Friday until his arraignment Monday when federal prosecutors agreed to a conditional release.
Goldy is represented by public defender George Scott Hayworth. Hayworth did not respond to request for comment.
Goldy's jury trial date is scheduled for Monday for Oct. 24.
Follow Law&Crime:
