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NKY Attorney Poole pleads not guilty to human trafficking, rape, other charges, bail reduction denied


By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor

Attorney Robert Poole pleaded not guilty Monday to the 15 charges against him, which include human trafficking, unlawful transaction with a minor and 3rd degree rape.

Attorney Robert Poole, shown in television monitor at right, was arraigned via video link Monday. Poole faces 15 charges, including human trafficking, rape and bribing a witness. He is detained in the Kenton County Justice Center on a $100,000 cash bond (photo by Mark Hansel).

Poole, 50, appeared via video link from the Kenton County Justice Center, where he is being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

Poole, was indicted on Nov. 15, by the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General (OAG) based on evidence obtained in the investigation of former Campbell County District Judge Tim Nolan. 

Nolan pleaded guilty to numerous charges related to human trafficking and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in May.

Poole, who lives in Burlington, was arrested Nov. 16,  by Erlanger Police at his law office.

Poole’s attorney, Mary Fortner Rafizadeh, said she has been aware that her client was being investigated for about 18 months. She asked for a bond reduction, citing Poole’s spotless record, prior to these charges, and the need to maintain his law practice.

“Mr. Poole is a lifelong resident of this area, he has a thriving practice at the moment,” Rafizadeh said. “He has zero criminal history to my knowledge. I don’t believe that he has any complaints against him.”

Rafizadeh added that if Poole was a flight risk, he had more than a year to take off, but did not.

The case is being prosecuted by assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley, who pointed to the seriousness of the charges in asking that Poole’s bond remain at $100,000.

A list of the 15 charges facing Northern Kentucky Attorney Robert Poole (click to enlarge).

“One of the charges of these 15 is bribing a witness,” Whaley said. “Some of the victims in this indictment remain fearful should the defendant be released on bond. In addition, this investigation is ongoing, there are other witnesses, as we speak, who have come forward.”

Ultimately, Kenton Circuit Judge Gregory M. Bartlett denied the request for bail reduction.

“What caught my eye when looking at the indictment, with regard to the defendant’s request for bail reduction, is the bribing a witness,” Bartlett said. “Obviously I recognize that when a person is incarcerated, it certainly changes their way of living…but nonetheless, these are extremely serious charges and the bribing charge is one that I can’t ignore.”

Whaley referred all questions regarding the case to Terry Sebastian, head of the Office of Communications for the OAG.

The Tribune has not reached out to Sebastian following Monday’s proceedings, but the OAG generally does not comment in detail on pending litigation.

Chas Brannen, an attorney and longtime friend of Poole’s, said the accused has a thriving practice focused primarily on personal injury litigation.

“It was completely out of the blue and completely out of character,” Brannen, a former Kenton County District Judge, said.

Brannen said he and attorney Brian Halloran, another longtime friend of Poole’s, are assisting with the law practice while the attorney is dealing with these serious legal issues.

“That’s what friends do, they help each other out,” Brannen said.

Brannen has also known Nolan for a long time and said he visited him in jail, but did not consider him a friend. Brannen was on the bench in Kenton County at the same time Nolan was a judge in Campbell County.

Brannen said he went to see Nolan because he wasn’t getting any visitors and “jail is a lonely place.”

Poole’s next scheduled court appearance is January 22.

Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com


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