(LEX 18) — A grand jury has indicted former Justice Cabinet secretary and state representative John Tilley on a first-degree rape charge.
Tilley, who oversaw Kentucky’s state prison system under former Gov. Matt Bevin, was indicted by a grand jury on the charge on Tuesday, October 11. He was arrested back in August after he was accused of having sex at a Lexington hotel with a woman who could not consent due to her level of intoxication, according to the arrest affidavit. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment.
"John Tilley maintains his innocence of the criminal charges and has cooperated with the investigation," said Tilley's attorney, Steve Schroering, at the time of his arrest. "He respects the judicial process and has no further comment at this time."
Tilley served as Justice and Public Safety Cabinet secretary from December 2015 through 2019, overseeing the Kentucky State Police, the Department of Corrections, and other agencies.
Before that, Tilley served five terms as a Democratic state lawmaker from Hopkinsville.
