Kentucky State Police spokesperson Jay Thomas says former Hickman County Sheriff Mark Green was indicted Thursday morning on a class D felony charge of “abuse of public trust.”
According to state statute, abuse of public trust involves a public official intentionally using public money or property for their own use without reimbursing the government. Green would be banned from holding public office if found guilty.
Thomas said KSP was tipped off about the case in early January by Hickman County Attorney Jason Batts.
“After the new sheriff took office, they were looking at some of the accounts, and they thought something might not just be right with one of the accounts,” Thomas said. “So they asked us to look into it.”
Thomas said he can’t say the specific amount of money that’s involved because the case is an ongoing investigation. An “abuse of public trust” class D felony involves under $10,000.
Thomas said the case is separate from a 2016 state audit that found Green to be at fault for nearly $6,000 in questionable purchases, one of them being for a “Zombie Eradication Response Team.”
Thomas said a criminal summons was issued to have Green appear in Hickman Court for arraignment on April 4. KSP Detective Michael Robichaud is investigating the case, and Commonwealth Attorney Michael Stacy is prosecuting the case. The Hickman County Circuit Clerk said court documents would be made available Friday afternoon.
Green did not file for re-election in 2018. Republican Ben Natividad won the election for sheriff last November.
This story was updated after an interview with Kentucky State Police.