Circuit Clerk’s son pleads guilty to amended license use charge

The son of Whitley County Circuit Court Clerk Gary Barton pleaded guilty last week to an amended charge stemming from his Oct. 22 arrest for trafficking in stolen identities.
As part of the plea agreement, Brett S. Barton, 20, of Williamsburg, pleaded guilty on Nov. 30 to a reduced charge of prohibited use of a license, which is a class ‘B’ misdemeanor.
Special Judge John Knox Mills sentenced Barton to a 90-day jail sentence, but agreed to conditionally discharge or probate the sentence for two years.
This means that if Barton abides by the conditions of his plea agreement, and has no further run-ins with the law for two years, then he won’t have to serve any time behind bars.
Mills also sentenced Barton to 75 hours of community service. In addition, Barton was ordered to pay a $250 fine and $128.50 in court costs.
Mills ordered that all contraband items be dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
“Just based upon the facts and circumstances, we believe it was a fair resolution for both the defendant and the Commonwealth,” said Barton’s lawyer, Paul Croley. “Mr. Barton acknowledges his responsibility in this and is regretful of the circumstances.”
McCreary County Attorney Phil Chaney served as special prosecutor in the case.
Whitley County Attorney Paul Winchester recused himself as prosecutor in the case last month after he learned that the case might be resolved in district court.
Trafficking in stolen identities is a class ‘D’ felony, which is punishable by one to five years in prison. After someone is indicted, felony charges are tried in circuit court, and prosecuted by the commonwealth’s attorney.
Brett Barton was taken into custody by Corbin police following a traffic stop on Cumberland Falls Highway about 3 a.m. on Oct. 22.
Barton was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Ryan Brodecker, 24, also of Williamsburg, who was also arrested and charged with third-offense DUI, careless driving, and driving on a DUI suspended license.
Barton was initially only arrested for alcohol intoxication, but a search of the vehicle lead to the more serious identity trafficking charge. Police found eight Kentucky driver’s licenses in the passenger floorboard behind the seat, then discovered 11 more in a DVD case. Two additional driver’s licenses were discovered in the center console.
Police said the licenses were mostly from Whitley County, and that Brett Barton allegedly told police he “knew some, but not all of the people on the IDs.”
All Kentucky driver’s licenses are issued by the county’s circuit court clerk’s office.
Gary Barton declined to comment on the matter, except to say that the case was closed out last week, and he noted that both a special judge and a special prosecutor handled the matter.