Stumbo Announces Indictment of Former Circuit Judge Stewart and Wife on Multiple Counts of Theft

FRANKFORT, KY (March 9, 2005) – Kentucky Attorney General Greg Stumbo announced today that a Franklin County grand jury indicted former Circuit Judge William F. Stewart and his wife, Sarah Belle Dutton, on 14 counts of felony Theft by Deception over $300, following an investigation conducted by the Kentucky State Police.

The indictments allege Sarah Belle Dutton committed the thefts by obtaining payment of wages for work as a full-time employee of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Administrative Office of the Courts, by deception over a period of more than three years. Her husband, former Judge William F. Stewart, is charged with being an accomplice to the thefts committed by his wife.

Stewart served as Circuit Judge for the 53rd Judicial Circuit, which includes Shelby, Anderson and Spencer counties, until he retired following an investigation by the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission. In December, 2004, Stewart agreed to a public reprimand and to retire on February 18, 2005, in lieu of a formal hearing before the Commission on a number of allegations, one of which involved a charge that Stewart hired his wife as a full-time employee and allowed her to work less than half of the required hours.

Attorney General Stumbo’s Special Prosecutions Division is prosecuting the case. Arraignment for Stewart and his wife has been set for Noon on Friday, March 18th, 2005 in Franklin Circuit Court.

If convicted Stewart and his wife face one to five years imprisonment on each charge.