Ex-Lee Co. Circuit Clerk sentenced, fined

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Emma Adams, former Lee County Circuit Clerk, was sentenced last week in Franklin Circuit Court after pleading guilty in February to abuse of public trust.

Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd sentenced Adams on Friday to five years’ probation and 180 days of home incarceration. As part of sentencing, Shepherd imposed a fine of nearly $335,000.

Adams also must pay the remaining balance of restitution, which is nearly $79,000. She paid $156,000 in restitution in February when she pled guilty. Adams will pay $2,500 in restitution monthly.

Adams unlawfully obtained more than $100,000 in public money or property from funds that were administered through the Administrative Offices of the Court (AOC).

An investigation traced and verified a total of $334,845.44 in missing state funds from 2006 until mid-year 2015. Nearly $78,738.97 of the missing funds was from circuit civil filing fees, which was administered solely by Adams.

The remaining $256,106.47 was traced to missing bank deposits. Those funds represent money the circuit clerks are required to take in and hold in trust on behalf of others such as bail bonds and restitution payments.