The superintendent of the Franklin County (Ky.) school district has been indicted on attempted bribery charges related to a sexual abuse case involving a former teacher.
The State Journal reports that Mark Kopp, 48, faces a charge of criminal attempt bribery of a public servant, a Class A misdemeanor. The charge stems from a comment Kopp allegedly made to a sheriff’s deputy while being served with a subpoena around June 18.
The charge is related to a sexual abuse investigation of Todd Joseph Smith, 42, a former seventh grade math and science teacher at Bondurant Middle School.
Smith has been indicted on two charges of first-degree sexual abuse of minors under the age of 16, a Class D felony. The incidents allegedly occurred in August 2018 and March 2019.
In addition, Whitney Allison, the Bondurant Middle School principal, has been indicted on one count of failing to report child abuse in connection with the Smith case.
Kopp says he has been advised by his lawyers to withhold comment on the case other than to say "we will aggressively defend this."
The Franklin County district, based in Frankfort, the state capital, has an enrollment of about 6,400 students.
