Kentucky county official pleads guilty in case with thefts totaling $100,000

Bill Estep
·1 min read

A former county official in northeastern Kentucky pleaded guilty Monday to stealing more than $100,000.

The maximum sentence for Robert Brian Allen would be 10 years in prison, according to a court document.

Allen was economic development director for Greenup County when the thefts occurred between late 2016 and early 2019, and was also head of the county tourism commission during part of the time, the court document said.

Allen took money in a variety of ways, including by having checks from the county fiscal court to the tourism commission diverted to his personal account, having checks written to him from the commission that he wasn’t entitled to, and using a commission debit card for personal expenses and cash withdrawals, according to his plea agreement.

Allen also set up a line of credit for the commission and drew on it.

The document charging Allen said the thefts totaled more than than $100,000.

Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18 in federal court in Ashland.