Paintsville Mayor Robert Porter has announced his resignation in the wake of a federal corruption conviction.
Porter announced Monday evening at a city council meeting that he will resign effective Nov. 13, City Clerk Virgie Castle said.
Porter plans to stay on for another month to finish some projects, including a workforce training center, a local official said.
Porter had been mayor of the city of 4,500 since January 2007, according to its website.
A federal jury convicted Porter last month of using taxpayer money to pay for personal expenses including gas and maintenance for his personal vehicles.
Porter also was accused of running up more than $7,000 in unpaid utility bills and taking payoffs from a vendor that were disguised as loans.
Porter denied the charges, but the jury convicted him on two counts of misappropriation of funds and one count of bribery.
Porter plans to appeal, said his attorney, Mark Wohlander.
Larry Herald, former manager of the city utilities service, was charged with helping Porter avoid utility payments between 2009 and mid-2012, and Eulas Crace, who owns a towing service and construction company, allegedly bribed Porter to get work with the city.
Herald pleaded guilty to lying to an FBI agent and was sentenced to two years’ probation and a $5,000 fine.
Crace plans to plead guilty next week, according to a court document.
By Bill Estep
Lexington Herald-Leader
