Scott Wartman

swartman@nky.com

A human trafficking and rape case against a former Northern Kentucky judge grew more bizarre at a tense arraignment and bond hearing Wednesday in Kenton County.

It started normally.

Tim Nolan pleaded not guilty to an 11-count indictment that included rape, witness tampering, human trafficking of a minor, human trafficking of five adults, unlawful transaction of a minor and prostitution.

But then his attorney Margo Grubbs made impassioned arguments and accusations that prompted Kenton County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen Lape to remark that this was a bond hearing and “not a comment on the justice system.”

Among the things revealed:

Grubbs said they believe one of the grandmothers of the victim is a tenant on Nolan’s sprawling farm in southern Campbell County and pays rent to him.

There are nine alleged victims covered in the indictment, according to prosecutor and Assistant Attorney General Barbara Whaley.

Grubbs argued the bail was too high, accused police of not interviewing all the witnesses and said someone, they believe mother of one of the victims, has tried to contact Nolan to see if he’s all right. She also revealed she believes that the accusations against Nolan are connected to a lawsuit.

She confirmed to the press after the hearing the lawsuit she referred to was the defamation suit Nolan filed against some Republicans behind GOPFacts.org.

It's another bizarre wrinkle in what has become a convoluted case that has shocked Northern Kentucky.

Nolan, dressed in a gray suit, sat calmly in court as his attorney unfurled arguments why she thinks authorities violated his rights. The Campbell County police went into his rural farmland “with guns ablazing” when they searched his property in February, Grubbs said in court.

Nolan could face more than 100 years in prison if convicted on all counts. He’s maintained his innocence. After the hearing, he tried to talk to the press as his attorney desperately tried to pull him toward the courtroom elevators.

“This is my attorney and my attorney tells me I cannot make any statements,” Nolan said. “I’d love to other than I can tell you we have a great Constitution and I have a great attorney and we will vigorously defend this.”

Many in Northern Kentucky have known Nolan from his years as a district judge in Campbell County in the 1970s and 1980s and his involvement in politics, particularly with the tea party movement. He became a fixture at Campbell County Fiscal Court meetings challenging many decision, sometimes filing suit. He was elected in November to the Campbell County school board but resigned last week when a grand jury indicted him.

Few details have emerged about the case other than it involves a minor on some of the counts. The indictment alleges Nolan, 70, tried to induce a possible witness identified only as "M.R." to either not testify or change his or her testimony. The charges involve at least eight other victims, special prosecutor Barbara Whaley said in court. But at least one is a minor age 16, according to Grubbs.

Nolan testified before the grand jury that indicted him last week. It didn’t seem to help him. The grand jury had asked for $750,000 bond when it indicted him. That’s very unusual, the judge said.

“I’m curious what they heard in the grand jury,” Lape said. “It's kind of an extraordinary bond. The reality is, we don’t see bonds like that this side of the river.”

Based on the seriousness of the charges, Lape on Wednesday set the bond at $50,000 cash, $100,000 property. He is also to be monitored with an ankle bracelet, have no direct contact with the victims and no contact with Transitions' Women’s Residential Addiction Program in Covington.

“He’s facing a lot of jail time,” Lape said. “That makes him a flight risk or a disappearing risk.”

Grubbs said her client would post bond by the end of the day.

Making it more bizarre, a woman, identified by Grubbs as the mother of who they believe is one of the alleged victims, was in the gallery sitting on the side of the defendant. Grubbs said they can’t be sure since the indictment only identifies the victims and witnesses by initials.

Grubbs claimed police didn’t interview her and other witnesses. The woman nodded her head in agreement but refused to speak to media after the hearing. Grubbs said the woman has tried to make contact with Nolan but can’t because of a court order prohibiting Nolan to have any contact with victims.

“It’s not fair that this woman is contacting my client,” Grubbs said.

“She wants to have a conversation with him and cares about him, and here we are, he’s prohibited from having contact.”

Campbell County Police Chief Craig Sorrell shook his head at times during Grubbs’ arguments. He declined comment after the hearing.

Nolan’s attorney sees the allegations as a vendetta. Nolan in 2016 sued some local Republicans last year for defamation for accusing him of racism on a website GOPFacts.org. The website called Nolan “one of Campbell County’s most vehement racists.”

“I would call it a conspiracy,” Grubbs said, but wouldn’t elaborate how the suit was connected. “You read the contents and find out. Go to the website and look at what they done to him.”

One of the people who started the website, Mike Combs, said they have nothing to do with the accusations. He said he’s confident he will prevail in the lawsuit, which he called frivolous.

“If there ever was something that could be called ‘fake news’ or alternative facts, this is that,” Combs said of Grubbs’ conspiracy allegations.

Nolan's political and legal connections have created a complex legal situation. His daughter, Taunya Nolan Jack, is the Campbell County Circuit Court Court Clerk.

The attorney general has appointed special prosecutors and special judges to avoid conflicts. Hearings have been held in courthouses in Boone and Kenton counties and will move to Campbell County in the summer.

Nolan was arrested and indicted in Boone County with a special judge, Elizabeth Chandler from Carroll County presiding. All court documents are filed with the Boone County Circuit Clerk. Lape will preside over the case now.

The next hearing will be in the Campbell County Courthouse at 1 p.m. July 7 with Lape presiding.

The prosecutors declined comment.