Former local state representative and Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet secretary John Tilley turned himself in at the Fayette County Jail Monday morning and is charged with first-degree rape.
A Lexington Police Department spokesperson tells the Courier Journal that Tilley was charged “regarding a Special Victims Investigation that occurred this year” and added that it’s an “ongoing investigation.”
The Herald Leader cites an arrest citation that alleges Tilley had sex with a woman who could not consent due to her level of intoxication and that the alleged incident happened at a downtown Lexington hotel on April 15.
Attorney Steve Schroering, who along with co-counsel Chris Spedding represents Tilley told WDRB, “Mr. Tilley maintains his innocence of the criminal charges and has fully cooperated with the investigation. He respects the judicial process and will have no further comment at this time.”
The 53-year old Tilley, a Democrat, represented portions of Christian and Trigg counties in the General Assembly from 2007 until he was chosen by former Republican Governor Matt Bevin as his Justice Cabinet Secretary and he served in that capacity from December of 2015 until January of 2020.
Tilley chaired the House Judiciary Committee and was instrumental in criminal justice reform during his time in the legislature.