A Kentucky prosecutor who promised to help a defendant in exchange for nude photos was suspended by the state's supreme court last week.
Ronnie Goldy, an attorney for Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties, was temporarily suspended by the Kentucky Supreme Court, which specified that only the General Assembly can permanently remove Goldy through impeachment because he is an elected officer, according to the Courier Journal.
In July, the Courier Journal reported that Goldy had exchanged 230 pages of Facebook messages with Misty Helton, who is currently being held on drug trafficking charges and one count of fleeing and evading, according to LEX 18.
Goldy claimed he didn't remember the Facebook message exchange with Helton, but didn't deny it while testifying at a hearing on September 8.
Helton testified that Goldy withdrew warrants and had cases continued in exchange for nude photos and videos of her.
She also told LEX 18 that Goldy got her warrants withdrawn and did several favors for her following their exchange.
"In hindsight, it was just something to keep me in debt to him," Helton said.
Helton said she initially met Goldy in 2015 when she faced charges in a previous criminal case, noting that he initially served as her lawyer before their alleged friendship became transactional.
"It started out personal and then it turned into that I owed him," Helton said.
The Kentucky Supreme Court announced Goldy's suspension after accepting and adopting a recommendation of a hearing officer, retired Judge Jean Chenault Logue, according to the Courier Journal.