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Ex-Kentucky Judge Accused of Selling Drugs During Campaign

Tom Varco, Wikimedia Commons

A former Kentucky magistrate is accused of illegally selling pain pills during his unsuccessful reelection campaign last year.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports former Knox County magistrate Jerry "Rabbit" Cox has been indicted on charges of illegally distributing hydrocodone or oxycodone in March and April 2018.

Cox is a former coal miner who runs a used-car lot and was previously charged with misappropriating county property. He was accused of having county workers install drainage tiles or spread gravel on private property, a common way for local officials to garner votes. He was acquitted in 2017. His lawyer argued there was no testimony that Cox had asked for votes in return for the gravel.

It's unclear if Cox has been taken into custody or if he has a lawyer for this case.

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