Now-former Scott Co. coroner admits to stealing ammo from Kentucky State Police

SCOTT COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Scott County Coroner John Goble pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to a federal charge for stealing ammo from Kentucky State Police.

Before the court hearing, he also resigned from his office, effective immediately. He had been the county’s coroner for 20 years.

The guilty plea comes as part of a plea agreement. He’s going to plead guilty to the first charge he’s facing, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and the rest of the charges will be dropped.

This stems from a four-year operation to steal and sell guns and ammunition from the Kentucky State Police. Goble is pleading guilty to the count having to do with the ammunition.

Before he was coroner, Goble served with KSP. As part of his plea, he said that he and two other individuals were involved and that the ammunition was stored inside the coroner’s office over that four-year period.

Goble said in court that he knew what he was doing was wrong and the judge accepted his plea. Goble’s attorney Fred Peters said after the hearing that, in discussing where things stood with Goble, they decided the plea option was really the only way to go.

“We determined that Mr. Goble’s chances at trial were not very good and there was a whole lot of evidence against him and he really didn’t have any choice but to plead guilty,” Peters said.

The charge comes with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three of which could be supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is set for August 12 at 1:30 in Frankfort.

Judge-Executive Joe Pat Covington says the winner of the Republican primary between Chad Halsey and Mark Sutton will step into the role of interim coroner to finish out Goble’s term. Since no Democrats are running, that person will then, unless there is a write-in candidate upset, be sworn in as the coroner officially in January.

Lana Pennington was removed from the ballot because she was registered as a Democrat and tried to run on the Republican ticket.

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