Woodford County Attorney Alan George authorized an arrest warrant and
extradition order for Hannah Shuler relating to the theft of $15,707.50
from the city and $13,407.50 from the Woodford County Tourism Commission
relating to a downtown Versailles roofline lighting project.
According to the Criminal Complaint executed by Versailles Police
Detective Matt Mitchell, and approved for an arrest warrant by George,
Shuler had been paid the total cost of the project up-front prior to any
work being performed between February and April 2023. Shuler was to
purchase all the materials and perform the installation of a light
system to run along the roofline of Versailles buildings on Main Street
by June 1, 2023.
George chose to charge Shuler with two felony counts of “theft by
failing to make proper disposition of property,” i.e. using the
$29,114.00, the total paid her from the city and the commission, to
purchase and install the lights.
“(Shuler) provided no lights, no materials and nothing had been strung,
so no service in nine to 10 months’ time,” said George. “Kentucky case
law and the evidence presented to me by Detective Mitchell, including
speaking with him, support these two class C felony counts. I determined
this was more than her simply dishonoring a contract which, if so, would
be only a civil matter. But the evidence supports our criminal
contention that she never intended to go forward with the agreement but
simply intended to receive almost $30,000 (in public funds) and provide
no service in return.”
Woodford County District Judge Sarah Hays Spedding signed both an arrest
warrant and an extradition order which will require Shuler to be
transported to Woodford County if she is arrested outside of the county
or Kentucky.
Rob Young, assistant chief of the Versailles Police Department confirmed
the presentation of the results of the investigation to George and the
issuing of an arrest warrant.
The department has “conducted a thorough investigation of the theft of
funds from the City of Versailles and the Woodford County Tourism
Commission paid in connection with holiday lighting to be installed on
downtown business buildings,” he said. “Mitchell worked with George to
obtain an arrest warrant and the Versailles Police Department will be
working with out-of-state law enforcement authorities to take the
suspect into custody on the felony charges.”