By John Ogunsemore
A former local district judge in Arkansas, United States, Thomas David Carruth, risks a five-year jail term following his conviction for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In April 2022, Carruth, 64, was said to have solicited sex from the girlfriend of a criminal defendant in his court but lied to the FBI when questioned about his action.
A jury found him guilty on one count of making false statements on Tuesday, September 3.
The US Department of Justice disclosed this in a statement published on its website.
“According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Thomas David Carruth, 64, of Clarendon, Arkansas, served as an elected Monroe County district court judge.
“In that role, Carruth presided over criminal and civil matters. In April 2022, Carruth solicited sex from the girlfriend of a defendant in a criminal case pending before him.
“The jury found that, when questioned by the FBI, Carruth lied to agents about the incident, including by falsely stating that he did not ‘request,’ ‘ask,’ ‘offer’, make ‘overture[s] about’, ‘insinuate,’ or ‘even [think] about,’ sex with the girlfriend.
“The jury convicted Carruth of one count of making false statements,” the statement reads in part.
However, the former judge was acquitted of charges of bribery, honest services fraud, and violations of the Travel Act.
“A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Carruth faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
“A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors,” the DoJ said.