Eastern Kentucky judge indicted for stealing more than $400,000 by putting a dummy employee on the payroll

According to court records, a Pike County Circuit Judge in Eastern Kentucky, Judge Howard Keith Hall faces two counts of mail fraud and one count of theft of government funds.

On Thursday, April 17th, grand jury in Lexington returned the indictment alleging that in October 2010, when Hall was the Pike County Attorney (a position he held for 24 years), Hall appointed a part-time county attorney in his office and identified that person only as "Attorney A", who had a private law practice in Pike County.

"Attorney A" did almost no work for Hall’s office and didn’t even come in to the office, but between October 2010 and May 2020, Hall submitted false certifications that the attorney had fulfilled his duties, the indictment charges, according to court records. Attorney A, also, received $290,140 in gross pay, including benefits as stated in state law at least 100 hours a month or work qualifies for health insurance, retirement benefits, and contributions to Social Security and Medicare, totaling $440,587.

The indictment also alleges that between October 2011 and October 2020, Hall claimed to work at "Attorney A’s" private firm and "Attorney A" paid him $505,900. However, indictment did not say whether in fact Hall did any work at "Attorney A’s" firm; and includes a forfeiture count of the amount of money Hall allegedly stole if convicted.

Hall was also indicted on mail fraud charges because of the fraudulent payroll info sent to Frankfort is the basis for the mail fraud charges. The mail fraud charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years each, while the theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Prior to the indictment, Judge Hall was already having legal troubles with the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission over improper comments he made in court and a threat to “make life difficult” for a prosecutor.



All are innocent until prove guilty in a court of law.