Russell County Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Defrauding Non-Profit Business

Bowling Green, KY – On December 14, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a Russell County man with two counts of wire fraud.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

According to court documents, Charles Davis, 56, of Russell Springs, Kentucky, while working as treasurer for the Russell County Arts Council (RCAC) in Jamestown, Kentucky, exceeded his authorized access by depositing RCAC funds into his personal bank account and using RCAC funds to make online payments to his personal credit cards. The total amount of loss is approximately $116,688.57. Davis is also charged with exceeding his authorized access relating to Artworks in Jamestown, Kentucky, by using PayPal Instant Transfer to transfer $224,142.79 out of the Artworks funds to his personal bank account.

Davis made his initial court appearance yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. If convicted, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

The FBI’s Bowling Green Resident Agency is investigating the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Sewell, Branch Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Office.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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