Whitesburg, KY — The Kentucky judge who was fatally shot in his chambers last year may have been involved in a troubling scheme in which he allegedly demanded sexual favors from women in exchange for legal leniency, according to accusers speaking to NewsNation.
Allegations of Sexual Exploitation
Tya Adams told NewsNation’s “Banfield” that she attended sex parties hosted by District Court Judge Kevin Mullins and his associates in the small rural town of Whitesburg, sometimes in exchange for money or to get offenders out of trouble.
“They would make sure to make you feel as small and degraded and belittled as possible to take your power away,” Adams said.
“It was consensual. But it was the thing that we were so young, and then they used it against us and to destroy our lives later. That was just a given. And who would believe it anyway? Because the whole town was doing it. Nobody cares. They’re all swingers. It’s all a big party to them. It was just so normal.”
— Tya Adams, accuser, NewsNation
Adams claimed that Mullins warned her not to speak about the parties, saying she feared retribution from the legal system or that Child Protective Services (CPS) could intervene in her life.
Former Deputy Speaks Out
Sarah Davis, a former deputy at the Letcher County jail, corroborated some of the allegations, describing the jail as akin to a “brothel”, where staffers allegedly engaged in sexual activity with each other and inmates. Davis said she had never personally witnessed anyone initiating sexual activity but called the stories she heard “nasty and sickening.”
“Pretty much everybody in the county knows. But it was confirmed to me after working in the county jail, especially after being invited to a party myself,” Davis said.
— Sarah Davis, former deputy, NewsNation
Davis also stated that Mullins had invited her to a sex party, but she declined, noting, “I was raised better than that.”
Fatal Shooting Inside Chambers
Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was shot and killed inside his chambers on September 19, 2024, allegedly by Letcher County Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines. Stines, who no longer serves as sheriff, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
Video footage shows Stines shooting Mullins while he sat at his desk, allegedly continuing to fire after Mullins had fallen to the floor.
— The Associated Press
Authorities reported that the two men had shared lunch earlier that day with a group before the fatal attack. Kentucky State Police testimony indicated that Stines attempted to call his daughter on his own phone, then on Mullins’ phone, as her contact information was stored in the judge’s phone.
Community Shocked by Allegations and Violence
The combination of alleged sexual exploitation and the violent death of a local judge has left the small community of Whitesburg reeling. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Mullins’ death as legal proceedings against Stines move forward.
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