Election Fraud Cases

James "Darrell" Jackson

James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime and 5 felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after participating in a conspiracy by the Jackson family scheme to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voter during the 2022 Republican primary election to help secure his election as Monroe County Jailor. Jackson conspired with at least six others in his scheme. After a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline, an investigation was started and uncovered the fraud. Jackson pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to 6 years, with 5 years suspended pending successful completion of probation.

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Tommy McClendon

Tommy McClendon, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with four felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after his participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. He pleaded guilty to all counts and entered a pretrial diversion program for a period of 5 years. 

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Leslie Jackson

Leslie Jackson, of Barren County, was charged by the state with one felony count of wrongful registration after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor, during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson pleaded guilty to the felony charge and was sentenced to one year, suspended for a period of five years pending successful completion of probation. 

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Mary Jackson

Mary Jackson, of Tompkinsville was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime, one felony count of second degree forgery, and six felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to six years, suspended for a period of five years pending successful completion of probation.

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Bonnie McClendon

Bonnie McClendon, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with one felony count of first degree perjury and two felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. She pleaded guilty to all charges and entered a pretrial diversion program for 5 years.

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Lisa Jackson

Lisa Jackson, of Mount Hernon, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime, 17 felony counts of making or receiving expenditures for voting, and one count of first degree persistent felony offender after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. She pleaded guilty to all counts and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Sherrye Jackson

Sherrye Jackson, of Tompkinsville, was charged by the state with one felony count of engaging in organized crime and one felony count of first degree perjury after her participation in a conspiracy by the Jackson family to bribe voters or obtain blank ballots from registered voters to help elect James "Darrell" Jackson, a Monroe County Constable, to the position of Monroe County Jailor, during the 2022 Republican primary election. The fraud was uncovered after a tip was submitted to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Hotline. Jackson, who had prior felony convictions on her record, pleaded guilty to her felony charges and entered a pretrial diversion program for 5 years.

Source: herit.ag/4dYrsZg , herit.ag/3X0k89e

Keith Justice

Keith Justice, of Pikeville, pleaded guilty to four counts of attempting to intimidate an election officer and one count of attempting to interfere with an election. The charges stem from the May 2016 state primary in which Justice, a licensed private investigator employed by Kentucky Senate Democratic Leader Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, falsely identified himself as a state voting inspector to both voters and poll workers, and claimed to be investigating election fraud. On election day, he ordered poll workers to provide written and audio statements, followed voters, and even entered at least one private residence demanding the names of voters the homeowner had driven to the polls. Justice was sentenced to home incarceration for 30 days, was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and was required to surrender his private investigator's license for a year.

Source: https://herit.ag/3x8Kvtl, https://herit.ag/3i8MVUm, https://herit.ag/3l325ME

Gary Risner, Larry Shepherd, Tami Jo Risner, Scott McCarty

Magoffin County Magistrate Gary Risner, Deputy County Clerk Larry Shepherd, and Tami Jo Risner (his ex-wife) were convicted of felony voter fraud for a vote buying scheme for a host of candidates in the 2014 election. An accomplice, Scotty L. McCarty, was also charged but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and testified against the others. His testimony revealed that the group had participated in vote buying conspiracies in elections dating back to 2010. He also testified that Larry Shepherd contributed $10,000 and Risner contributed $2,000 to the vote buying racquet, paying individuals $50 to vote for their slate of candidates. Shepherd also revealed that in a 2010 election, while acting as a precinct officer, he added 60 votes to the total for a candidate, and Risner signed the names of those who hadn't voted to cover the discrepancy. The U.S. District Judge scheduled sentencing for December 2016, with the charges carrying a maximum penalty of five years.

Source: https://herit.ag/2UV3YQT

Scott Lynn McCarty

Scott McCarty pleaded guilty to bribing a voter in the 2014 Kentucky primary elections. McCarty admitted to accompanying a woman into a voting booth to make sure she voted for the right candidates. Afterwards, McCarty directed the woman to another person who would pay her for her vote. McCarty is to be sentenced in May and faces up to a year in prison.

Source: https://herit.ag/3yc36FW

James Steven Robinson, Ruth Thomasine Robinson, James Robinson

Ruth Robinson, the former mayor of Martin, Kentucky, was sentenced to 90 months' imprisonment on a variety of charges that included vote buying, identity theft, and fraud. With specific regard to the election charges, Robinson and co-conspirators James "Red" Robinson (her husband) and James Steven Robinson (her son) threatened and intimidated residents of Martin in the run-up to the 2012 election in which Robinson was seeking re-election. The cabal targeted residents living in public housing or in properties Robinson owned, threatening them with eviction if they did not sign absentee ballots the Robinsons had already filled out. Robinson also targeted disabled residents and offered to buy the votes of others. "Red" Robinson was sentenced to 40 months in prison, and his son James Steven Robinson received a total of 31 months' imprisonment.

Source: https://herit.ag/3f4jVeF

Arch Turner

Arch Turner, the Breathitt County School Superintendent, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, admitting to handing out money to buy votes in a 2010 election. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $250,000 for his role in directing a vote-buying scheme.

Source: https://herit.ag/372GU5h

Naomi Johnson, Jackie Jennings, and Earl Young

Three Jackson residents were convicted in a vote buying scheme in a 2010 magistrate's race where they tried to control the outcome of the primary election. Johnson and Young were sentenced to four months in prison for conspiring to buy votes and vote buying. Jennings was sentenced to two months in prison for vote buying and conspiracy.

Source: bit.ly/2fiA3b8

Michael Salyers

In 2012, Michael Salyers, a former Brethitt County magistrate candidate, was sentenced to two months in jail, six months in home confinement, and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service for buying votes during his campaign. He admitted to paying people $25 to vote for him.

Source: https://herit.ag/3y7GZAI, https://herit.ag/3rAZtH8

Jeffrey Newport, Martha Hughes, Tony Gumm, William Proffitt, Corey Page, and Michael Page

Six defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to buy votes in the 2006 Monroe County general election in favor of certain candidates. Gumm was sentenced to three years' probation with eight months' home detention and a $4,000 fine. Martha Hughes, Michael Page, and Corey Page were each sentenced to two years' probation and six months' home detention. Newport was sentenced to two years' probation, two months' home incarceration, and ordered to pay a $500 fine. Proffitt was sentenced to two years' probation and ordered to pay $1000 in fines.

Source: https://herit.ag/37iNKE5, bit.ly/2eVD58f