State legislator, who ran for governor in 2019, charged with strangulation, domestic violence

A state legislator, who ran for governor in 2019, was arrested Tuesday morning in Laurel County for allegedly strangling a woman and threatening to kill her.

Laurel County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Robert S. Goforth, 44, of East Bernstadt, following an investigation into a complaint by the victim whom deputies discovered had visible marks on her neck and leg.

Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer, stated that deputies were dispatched to the East Bernstadt community, north of London, after a female subject arrived at Laurel County 911 to report a domestic assault.

The woman told dispatchers the perpetrator was still inside the residence with three small children.

Deputies responded to the residence to conduct a welfare check on the children and continue the investigation.

“The children were found to be safe,” Acciardo stated.

As a result of the investigation, deputies arrested Goforth on charges of first-degree strangulation, fourth degree assault – domestic violence – minor injury, and third–degree terroristic threatening.

Gorforth was lodged in the Laurel County Correctional Center where he is being held on a $25,000 cash bond. He is scheduled for video arraignment at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Laurel District Court.

Goforth serves in the Kentucky House of Representatives. He represents the 89^th district, which is made up of Jackson and portions of Laurel and Madison counties. He was first elected to the seat in 2018.

In 2019, he challenged Gov. Matt Bevin in the Republican gubernatorial primary.