A former county clerk has pled guilty to stealing nearly $80,000 via “extra paychecks,” according to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
Brian Crowe, 57, of Estill County, pled guilty to abuse of public trust and willfully filing a false tax return. Both charges are class D felonies.
The attorney general’s office said Crowe, a former Estill County Clerk, “regularly paid himself extra paychecks” in the amount of $79,948 between January 2023 and February 2024.
In March of 2024, Crowe filed a false tax return, intentionally failing to report $69,475.28 of income in 2023, the attorney general’s office said.
According to the plea deal, Crowe agreed to a five-year sentence and will be required to pay restitution in the amount of $79,948 to Estill Fiscal Court and $4,687 to the Kentucky State Treasury.
Formal sentencing has been scheduled for May 23.
Crowe was first elected Estill Co. Clerk in November 2018, according to his Facebook campaign page.
(Photo: Brian Crowe, courtesy of social media)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
