BREAKING NEWS – Former Franklin DA Pilati Indicted

By Staff
Former Franklin County District Attorney John Pilati, 41, of Russellville was indicted Wednesday in United States District Court and charged with civil rights violations.
The U.S. Attorney's office said in a press release Wednesday afternoon that Pilati is charged with four misdemeanor counts of deprivation of rights under color of law allegedly in connection with illicit sexual contact between himself and four young males.
The conduct allegedly occurred from on or about Spring 2001 through Winter 2002.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government's burden to prove a defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
"These charges are total fabrications and we expect that upon a full and fair hearing and trial, Mr. Pilati will be completely exonerated," defense attorney George Andrews said.
The maximum sentence for deprivation of civil rights is not more than one-year imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for each count. Imprisonment for each count is to be served consecutively.
For more information, please see Friday's print edition of The Franklin County Times.