Office of the Attorney General
Breathitt County Schools Superintendent Indicted for Vote Buying Conspiracy and Obstruction of Justice

Attorney General Jack Conway, United States Attorney of the Eastern District, Kerry B. Harvey, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge, Mike Kaste, jointly announce the arrest of Breathitt County Schools Superintendent Arch Turner pursuant to a federal indictment. The 65-year-old Turner is charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to buy votes and making false statements to a federal agent following an investigation by the Attorney General's Office and the FBI.

The three-count indictment, unsealed on March 2, 2012, alleges that Turner, of Booneville, Ky., conspired with others to buy votes in the November 2010 general election in Breathitt County.

Additionally, when the FBI interviewed Turner in October of 2010, he allegedly made false statements saying that he had not given any candidate money for election purposes in the May 2010 primary election and that the cash he withdrew from his bank account was for personal use and not for the purpose of buying votes.

Turner is also accused of trying to persuade a person, during an FBI investigation, not to report Turner's vote buying activity to law enforcement.

A date for Turner's appearance in United States District Court has not yet been set. If convicted, Turner faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the United States sentencing guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of sentences.

A charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.