Judge-executive in county hit by tornado being sentenced

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Morgan County’s judge-executive goes before a federal judge Tuesday for sentencing in a corruption case that prosecutors say continued as the Appalachian area struggled to rebuild from a deadly tornado.

Judge-Executive Tim Conley pleaded guilty in August to a fraud charge stemming from a kickback scheme. Prosecutors said he received $120,000 to $200,000 to steer work to a contractor.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Boone has asked that Conley be sentenced to 11 years and four months, even though the top sentence under federal advisory guidelines would be seven years and three months.

Defense attorneys have asked instead for a sentence below the guidelines’ minimum.

The March 2, 2012, tornado killed six people in Morgan County, among 25 who died in an outbreak of twisters statewide.

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