EKB News

A Matewan Man is behind bars in Pike County after abducting a West Virginia woman yesterday morning. Officers with the Kentucky state police responded to a call at the South Williamson Wal-Mart after receiving a report that a male suspect later identified as 36 year old Mathew Casey had allegedly abducted a female, taken her to a remote area and sexually assaulted her. The victim was able to escape from the area with her vehicle. Later yesterday evening, officers were informed that Casey had allegedly obtained another vehicle and was being pursued by the West Virginia State Police and Mingo County Sheriff’s Deputies. KSP Troopers then helped WV agencies corner Casey near the Harvey Street Bridge. After the arrest, police discovered that Casey had allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted a five year old girl who was found in the vehicle with him. The child is currently receiving medical attention at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. Casey was taken into custody and charged with Kidnapping, Sodomy 1st degree, Rape 1st degree and Robbery 1st degree. The Kentucky State Police have stated that they will be working with all the agencies involved and that further charges may be pending. The incident remains under investigation by multiple agencies. Anyone that may have any other information regarding the incident is urged to contact the Kentucky State Police at (800) 222-5555. Casey remains in custody on a $1,000,000 full cash bond and will appear in court on December 21st.

A Johnson County man charged with murder is now free on bond after a judge granted a bond reduction yesterday. 35 year old William David Sowards of Flat Gap saw his bond lowered from $100,000 full cash to $50,000 dollars full cash yesterday after a preliminary hearing was held in Johnson County District Court. Family members of Sowards testified that he had no other choice but to shoot his brother, 39 year old Frank Sowards after intervening in an altercation between Frank Sowards and his wife Randi Sowards. But while the defense claims that Sowards shot his brother in self defense, police say he could have easily dialed 911 for help. The judge in the case ordered that it be sent to the grand jury, who will then decide if there is enough evidence to issue an indictment.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo has failed to persuade an ethics panel to clear the path for him to run for governor. The Executive Branch Ethics Commission declined Friday to reverse its June opinion that said it would be a conflict of interest for Stumbo, a Democrat, to run for governor after his office led the investigation into the hiring practices of Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher’s administration. The panel unanimously upheld its decision Friday, “due to the fact that through his office, he has had involvement in the investigation and prosecution of the sitting governor, who is running for re-election, a question may arise as to the attorney general’s actual impartiality during the conduct of the investigation … if he were to run at this time for that office.” Stumbo could challenge the panel’s ruling in court. The advisory opinion does not carry the weight of law, but it could subject Stumbo to an ethics investigation if he proceeds with a campaign for governor.

A Shelbiana man accused of two counts of Rape has pleaded not guilty in Pike County Circuit Court. 21 year old Bobby Kendrick was taken into custody in September on charges of Rape 2nd and 3rd degree and was indicted last week on the same charges. According to the arrest citation Kendrick allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with someone under the age of 16 after he was over 21. The citation also goes on to state that Kendrick engaged in sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years old while he was over the age of 18. This morning Kendrick appeared in Front of Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman and entered the not guilty plea. Judge Coleman scheduled a pre-trial conference in the case for March 16th. Kendrick will have until Monday to post the $15,000 full cash bond set by Judge Coleman or face being picked up again. Kendrick had posted the bond set in District Court but according to court officials the party which posted the bond is unsure about allowing Kendrick to use the property posted for the new bond set today by Judge Coleman.

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller said today that he will enter the Democratic primary for governor, with Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze as his running mate. Miller said in an interview with The Associated Press “We will definitely be in the race. The 39 year old Miller, a Harvard-educated lawyer in his second term as state treasurer, said he will file papers with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance on Friday, enabling him to begin campaign fundraising. Miller, a native of Lexington, said he had no idea how many Democrats would get into next year's race for governor, adding that the situation is "very fluid right now."

A Shelbiana man is scheduled to appear in front of Pike county Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman tomorrow morning to enter a plea to two counts of Rape. 21 year old Bobby Kendrick was taken into custody in September on charges of Rape 2nd and 3rd degree and was indicted last week on the same charges. According to the arrest citation Kendrick allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse with someone under the age of 16 after he was over 21. The citation also goes on to state that Kendrick engaged in sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years old while he was over the age of 18. Kendrick remains free on a $10,000 full cash or property bond and is not allowed to have any contact with any minor. We’ll have an update on the outcome of his appearance tomorrow afternoon on EKB news.

The governor's chief lawyer said yesterday it was unnecessary for Gov. Ernie Fletcher to be publicly subpoenaed in Louisville last Friday by attorneys for a former state worker who claims he was unjustly fired. A simple phone call would have sufficed, eliminating the need for the highly unusual step of subpoenaing a sitting governor during a public event according to Jim Deckard Fletcher's general counsel. Deckard said two attorneys for former Transportation Cabinet employee Mike Duncan never called him to ask that Fletcher be available to testify at a 9:30 a.m. meeting today of the state Personnel Board or to request that he sit for a deposition. Deckard also said that members of the media have told him they were contacted before the subpoena was served Friday while Fletcher was in Louisville for a speaking engagement.

A Jenkins Man who was receiving unemployment benefits has now been charged with a felony count of making a false statement to receive benefits. 39 year old Ricky Wright was charged yesterday after years of investigation. Wright is listed in court documents as a coal miner and allegedly received benefits totally over $5,000 dollars between December of 2002 and March of this year. Wright entered a not guilty plea yesterday and was released on a surety bond. Wright is scheduled to appear again in court on December 21st for a preliminary hearing in front of Pike County District Judge Darrell Mullins.

An Elkhorn Man is behind Bars after allegedly cutting down power poles. Lloyd R. Swiney of Jacksons Branch was taken into custody yesterday and charged with Theft by Unlawful Taking, Criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools following an investigation by the Pike County Sheriffs Office. According to the arrest warrant, sometime around December 9th, Swiney allegedly cut down approximately 10 power poles. Swiney was lodged at the Pike County Detention Center on 10,000 dollar full cash.

A state ethics panel found "probable cause" Tuesday to continue an investigation into state Sen. Daniel Mongiardo's relationship with a political action committee formed after his unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid. Mongiardo claims he was a distant adviser to a political action committee, called DANPAC or Democrat Activist Network PAC, and did nothing wrong. But the state Republican Party filed a complaint with the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission, claiming there was an improper connection between the PAC and Mongiardo. The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission met privately on the matter with Mongiardo and Spencer Noe, the state Republican Party's general counsel. State law prohibits legislators from organizing political action committees in their name. Penalties from the commission range anywhere from a public reprimand to fines, according to a statement by panel chairman George Troutman.

Lt Gov. Steve Pence stated today that the governor's ability to issue pardons should be limited in the future so legal scrutiny can't be skirted. Pence told the Lexington Herald that “clearly, the pardons that are pre-emptive - where you don't know the name of the person or the charges against that person - are very problematic” In August 2005, Gov. Ernie Fletcher pardoned everyone other than himself who could be charged in a state hiring investigation. A Franklin County special grand jury returned 29 indictments in the case, and Fletcher was charged with three misdemeanors that were later dropped in a deal with prosecutors. The grand jury's report released last month said Fletcher approved a "widespread and coordinated plan" that ignored hiring laws and put the governor's supporters into protected rank-and-file state jobs. Pence, a former federal prosecutor, withdrew from Fletcher's re-election efforts this summer, but did not say whether the move was because of the investigation.

A Murder investigation is underway after a domestic dispute turned fatal in Johnson County. According to the Kentucky State Police, they responded to a domestic violence call around 5 o’clock Saturday evening in the Flat Gap community of Johnson County. The victim, Frank Sowards was involved in an altercation with his wife Randi Sowards which lead her to flee to the next door residence of William Sowards. William Sowards tried to break up the fight between the two resulting in an altercation between the two men. William Sowards then went back into his residence and returned with a hand gun allegedly shooting Frank Sowards in the chest area according to the KSP. Frank Sowards was pronounced dead on the scene by the Johnson county Coroner. William Sowards was taken into custody and lodged at the Big Sandy regional detention center on one count of murder. The incident remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police.