Prosecutor says special grand jury investigating Sheriff will be extended 90 more days

The term of a Whitley County Special Grand Jury that is investigating Whitley County Sheriff Lawrence Hodge and his department for possible criminal wrongdoing will be extended another 90 days, according to the prosecutor in charge of the case.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble said Friday afternoon that he will ask for a 90-day extension for the special grand jury, which was empanelled on June 25 to investigate Hodge.

Trimble said that he expects the grand jury to wrap up its investigation by late October.

The special grand jury met Friday for only the fourth time since it was empanelled, and heard from only one witness, current Whitley County Police Chief and E-911 Director Chuck Davis.

Davis, who worked as detective with the sheriff’s department until late June, testified for approximately 90 minutes Friday morning.

The grand jury apparently spent the remainder of the day reviewing documents and possibly other evidence gathered in connection with the investigation.

The grand jury started the day about 9 a.m. and concluded about 3 p.m.

"They are taking some evidence, and will be reviewing some evidence that has been subpoenaed to the grand jury. It was just a work day," Trimble said during the lunch break Friday.

"Most of the afternoon will be entailed with examining documents that have been presented pursuant to subpoena to the grand jury."

A total of 17 witnesses have testified before the special grand jury since it was empanelled, and most of those have been current or former sheriff’s department employees.

So far, the grand jury has heard from five current deputies, four ex-deputies, including Davis, two current sheriff’s department office workers, and one former office worker.

The grand jury will meet again on Thursday, Sept. 23 at 9 a.m.

Trimble said previously that he couldn’t comment on whether the grand jury will look at allegations related to Hodge’s audits or the December break-in at his office.

"I can’t get into details of what we are looking at. I can say that various state and federal agencies are looking into it," Trimble said.

State Auditor Crit Luallen referred findings in audits of Hodge’s books to the FBI for further investigation.

The findings revealed several problems in the office that included alleged budget deficit’s totaling more than $200,000.
In December, Hodge’s courthouse office was broken into revealing that nearly 80 guns were either unaccounted for and stolen or that they had been returned to their owners but that proper paperwork hadn’t been filled out and kept on file. In addition other evidence was reportedly missing, such as drugs.

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the break-in at Hodge’s office.
During the May 18 Primary Election, retired Kentucky State Police Detective Colan Harrell soundly defeated Hodge by a vote of 4,765 to 1,891 in a five-way race.

Harrell is unopposed in the November General Election, and is scheduled to assume office on Jan.