Former mayor posts cash bond after being indicted, arrested Wednesday

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 — Former Bardstown Mayor John Royalty was booked into the Nelson County Jail at 5:33 p.m. Wednesday after he was indicted by a Nelson County grand jury earlier in the day.

JOHN ROYALTY

Royalty was indicted Wednesday on charges of first-degree perjury, two counts of official misconduct, and false swearing.

According to the Nelson County Jail, Royalty was released on a $5,000 cash bond 22 minutes after he arrived at the jail.

According to the indictment, Royalty allegedly committed perjury during his removal hearing on April 13-14, 2017.

The two official misconduct charges refer to dates in October 2016 when Royalty allegedly asked a city employee to obtain city council members’ city-issued iPads under false pretenses, and ordered an employee to conduct an unauthorized review of a council member’s private emails.

The false swearing charge refers to alleged false statements Royalty made during a Dec. 12, 2016, deposition connected with the former Bardstown Police officer Tom Roby’s wrongful termination lawsuit.

Royalty’s arraignment was scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017.

Editor’s Note: The indictment of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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