Staff Reports
John Tilley, a former state lawmaker for the Democratic Party in Kentucky and the current secretary of the Kentucky Justice Cabinet, was taken into custody on Monday and charged with rape in the first degree.
According to WKYT, Tilley is being accused of having sexual contact with a drunk lady who was unable to provide her permission in the month of April 2022. His attorney, Steve Schroering, has emphasized his client's belief that he is innocent of the criminal allegations against him.
Tilley faces the possibility of 10–20 years behind bars if he is found guilty.
In 2006, John Tilley was elected to serve as a representative for the 8th District of the Kentucky State House, which was the beginning of his career in politics. Between the years 2009 and 2015, he presided as Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. During the period that Tilley served in the assembly, he was a crusader fighting against dating violence and sexual assault, in addition to being a supporter of prison reform and the reduction of recidivism. He also advocated for opiate addiction reform. In 2015, Governor Matt Bevins of Kentucky named Tilley to the position of Secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. In this role, Tilley was responsible for supervising 7,000 personnel across five different agencies.
