Second prosecutor whose misconduct was exposed by The Courier Journal to resign rather than face impeachment

Prosecutor Ronnie Goldy Jr. will resign rather than risk impeachment for soliciting nude photos and videos from a defendant in exchange for him doing favors for her in court.

State Rep. Jason Nemes, who introduced a resolution calling for Goldy’s impeachment, confirmed Wednesday that he has decided to resign.

A Kentucky House committee drafted and passed three articles of impeachment Tuesday against Goldy Jr., recommending the chamber move forward with his removal from office.

Rick Boling, elected prosecutor in Christian County, announced previously he will resign Feb. 28 to avoid possible impeachment.

The Courier Journal reported in January 2020 that Boling cited false information in seeking a pardon from former Gov. Matt Bevin for Dayton Jones. Boling, who received campaign contributions from Jones’ grandparents, later apologized to voters and the victim, who was 15 years old and unconscious when he was sodomized and nearly died of his injuries.

Goldy, the top state prosecutor for the 21st Judicial Circuit, comprised of Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties, has been embroiled in scandal since July when The Courier Journal first reported hundreds of Facebook messages he exchanged with the defendant.

The Courier Journal reported that Goldy told Misty Helton that if she sent him the nude images, he would talk to judges about continuing her cases and setting aside warrants.

On Aug 20, 2018, for example, Helton responded to Goldy's request for a nude video, texting she could make a new one.

"You did get a bond taken care of on a Sunday, I suppose," she messaged.

"Now you are thinking right," he replied.

Legal experts told the newspaper the quid pro quo was highly unethical.

The defendant, Misty Helton, testified the Facebook messages were authentic and told a hearing officer for a bar inquiry commission that she and Goldy had sexual relations, with the prosecutor allegedly withdrawing warrants and getting her cases continued in exchange for the images.

Following the allegations last summer, the Kentucky Commonwealth's Attorneys' Association removed Goldy from the organization and the Kentucky Supreme Court suspended Goldy from practicing law. However, the high court added that it could not remove him from office, as that can only be done through impeachment, which is the province of the legislature.

A state hearing officer also found Boling misled a jury in an arson and manslaughter trial when he said he was unaware of any evidence that the defendant was intoxicated. In fact, a detective had told him she was “out of her frickin’ mind” at the time of the crime. The Supreme Court reversed the defendant’s conviction, finding Boling had engaged in prosecutorial misconduct.