United States Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., alongside Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear and FBI Special Agent in Charge Amy S. Hess, revealed charges against retired Fulton County Jailer Ricky Parnell and four contractors today, accusing them of conspiracy to defraud citizens through kickbacks and inflated costs related to the 2015 $3.3 million Fulton County Detention Center expansion.
The indicted include Ricky D. Parnell, 59, of Hickman; Ronald D. Armstrong, 60, of Dresden; Jimmy Boyd, 56, of South Fulton; Michael Homra, 79, of Fulton; and Daniel C. Larcom, 42, of Union City. All were charged with Honest Services Fraud and multiple counts of Wire Fraud on November 15, 2016, arraigned in United States District Court in Paducah before Magistrate Judge Lanny King.
Parnell, who served as the Fulton County Jailer from 1990 until early this year, is accused of using his official position to solicit and accept gifts and payments from contractors between April 2015 and August 2016. He allegedly directed them to overcharge for services and supplies, presenting the inflated invoices for payment to the county treasurer, who then paid the defendants. Contractors reportedly used excess proceeds to pay Parnell kickbacks totaling at least $175,000.
Defendants Armstrong, Boyd, Homra, and Larcom are also accused of attempting to cover their tracks by using cash for kickbacks, structuring bank withdrawals, and creating false invoices. If convicted, each could face up to 20 years in prison per count, a $250,000 fine per count, and three years of supervised release.
This case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nute Bonner, with investigation led by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and the FBI.
According to legal precedent, an indictment by a Grand Jury is merely an accusation, and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Related Federal Cases
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Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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