A former police chief in Adair County has been indicted by a federal grand jury for stealing “over $25,000 from the city of Columbia,” according to prosecutors.
Former Columbia Police Chief Jason D. Cross, 44, was indicted for stealing the cash from the Columbia PD’s evidence locker and the city’s drug purchase fund, according to Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. He is accused of pilfering the money between February 2020 and February 2021.
Cross, of Columbia, is charged with one count of violating “Title 18, United States Code, Section 666(a)(1)(A), which makes it a federal offense for a city employee to steal more than $5,000 from a city that received over $10,000 in federal assistance in a calendar year,” prosecutors said.
He faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.
Cross retired on March 1, 2021, after serving 10 years as police chief, according to the Adair County Community Voice. He was a police officer for a total of 22 years.
Kentucky State Police led the investigation.
Columbia is a town of about 4,600 residents in south central Kentucky, and is home to Lindsey Wilson College.
By Ken Howlett,News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
