LEXINGTON, Ky. —Bath County Judge Executive, Walter Bascom Shrout, was found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to buy votes, making false statements to a federal agent and obstruction of justice in relation to the May 2006 Primary for County Judge Executive, announced U.S. Attorney Amul R. Thapar.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge, Joseph M. Hood, also ordered Shrout to resign from office no later than Monday, March 19 at noon.

Shrout, 54, of Sharpsburg, Ky., was indicted in November of 2006 as part of an ongoing FBI investigation into vote buying that occurred during the May 2006 Primary in Bath County. As of today, a total of 12 individuals have been indicted in relation to the investigation.

In the course of the three day trial, Mike Butcher; Norman Crouch, Norman Crouch’s nephew, Steven Crouch; Steven Crouch’ s wife, Belinda Crouch; and Anthony “Buck” White all testified that Shrout and Roosevelt “Sonny” Swartz, a supporter of Shrout’s, had paid them various amounts of money between May 1 and May 16 of 2006, to add his name to the slate of candidates for which they were paying people to vote. Sonny Swartz was indicted for buying votes last month.

Shrout won the May 2006 primary for County Judge Executive against Michael Swartz. Michael Swartz was indicted in July of 2006 and pleaded guilty to vote buying in October of last year.

United States Attorney Amul R. Thapar said his office is committed to fighting public corruption at all levels and restoring the confidence citizens have in the voting process.

“Our election process is the very basis of our democracy,” Thapar said. “When people can not vote freely and independently, it takes away a government by and for the people.”

Shrout faces up to ten years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 and three years of supervised release. He is scheduled to be sentenced in United States District Court in Lexington, Ky. on July 9, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. Shrout is released on bond pending sentencing.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth R. Taylor.