FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 25, 2025) – Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today action from the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit resulted in a guilty plea for former Estill County Clerk Brian Crowe.
On Friday, Crowe, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of Abuse of Public Trust (Class D Felony) and one count of Willful Filing of False Tax Return (Class D Felony).
According to charges filed in Estill Circuit Court, from January 2023 through February 2024, Crowe regularly paid himself extra paychecks. The theft totaled $79,948.09. In March of 2024, he filed a false tax return, intentionally failing to report income for the 2023 year in the amount of $69,475,28.
According to the plea agreement, Crowe agreed to a five-year sentence and will be required to pay restitution in the amount of $79,948.09 to the Estill Fiscal Court and restitution to the Kentucky State Treasury of $4,687.38.
“Kentuckians trust their elected officials to serve with honesty and integrity. The actions of this rogue clerk betrayed that trust. We are grateful to our colleagues in the Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and Special Prosecutions who protected Estill County from corruption,” said Attorney General Coleman.
The Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) investigated the case. Assistant Attorney General Barbara Maines Whaley prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Sentencing has been scheduled for May 23rd.