FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) -- A Kentucky attorney who specializes in Social Security disability claims pleaded guilty last week to attempting to recruit a "straw donor" to contribute to a state Supreme Court candidate's campaign.
Eric C. Conn, who has law offices in Ashland and Stanville, pleaded guilty Friday to an amended charge of "criminal attempt to make a gift of money to another person to contribute to a donor on his behalf," according to the Floyd County Times.
According to the newspaper, the charge is a Class A misdemeanor.
"I pled guilty to an attempted misdemeanor arising out of a contribution to a recent election campaign," Conn said in a statement Tuesday, the Times reported.
"I deeply regret this mistake, I apologize unreservedly."
The newspaper obtained a copy of the offer Conn signed from Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway's office. In it, the lawyer admitted that in February he tried to make a "gift of money to another person" to contribute to a state Supreme Court candidate on his behalf.
The offer did not say which candidate Conn attempted to attribute; however, Conway's office told the newspaper the attempt was made to donate to Justice Will T. Scott's campaign.
Scott was first elected to the state's high court in November 2004. He served as deputy chief justice from 2006 to 2010.
Conn's attempt to donate would have occurred when Scott ran for re-election in 2012.
Conway's office told the Times that Scott returned the contribution.
According to the newspaper, Conn received a suspended sentence of 12 months in jail, which will be conditionally discharged for a period of two years.
He also must pay more than $5,000 to the Attorney General's Office, to reimburse them for the cost of the investigation.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.