Judge dismisses case against judge candidate

MAROIN, Ky. – A misdemeanor false-reporting case against Kent Withrow, who recently filed as a candidate for Crittenden County judge-executive, has been dismissed.

Special prosecutor Lee Riddle said Withrow met all conditions of a plea agreement entered Sept. 3, 2025, and the court dismissed the case Wednesday under the terms of that agreement.

Withrow entered an Alford plea last year to falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction.

Special District Judge Brandon Knoth of Eddyville presided over the case, with Riddle, of Madisonville, representing the Commonwealth as a special prosecutor. Withrow appeared in court Wednesday with his attorney when the case was dismissed.

Kentucky State Police charged Withrow in March 2025 after investigating his claim that Crittenden County Attorney Bart Frazer grabbed him by the neck during an encounter at the Crittenden County Office Complex in December 2024.

At the same time last year, Withrow also faced charges of criminal coercion, harassing communications and harassment without physical contact involving another man and woman. Court records show that prosecution of those charges was deferred for two years as part of the September 2025 agreement. A June 30, 2027 review date has been set by the court on those three charges.

Withrow has used the social media identity “Jebediah Yoder” to criticize local officials, government and other individuals. He publicly connected himself to that identity when the account announced that Kent Withrow, “Jeb Yoder,” had filed as a write-in candidate.

Withrow previously sued the county over the awarding of a roofing contract, but Circuit Judge Daniel Heady dismissed that case. A separate open records lawsuit filed by Withrow against the county concerning records related to the office complex incident remains pending in Crittenden Circuit Court. Additionally, Jailer Athena Hayes has filed a defamation case against Withrow and others, including the fiscal court and another private individual.