Thornsbury, 57, of Williamson,
turned in his resignation to the state Supreme Court Wednesday morning and then
admitted before U.S. District Judge Thomas Johnston a few hours later that he
violated a man’s constitutional rights in an attempt to protect his close
friend slain Mingo County Sheriff Eugene Crum.
Thornsbury admitted to being part
of a conspiracy to pressure Delbarton drug dealer George White to change
attorneys. White, after consulting with his first attorney, spoke with federal
investigators about Sheriff Crum’s alleged illegal drug habits. White claimed
he was Crum’s drug dealer.
The conversation came in the months
after Crum led a drug bust at White’s Delbarton sign-making business. White
claimed Crum was upset with him because White was trying to get money from the
sheriff still owed him from making campaign signs.
Thornsbury promised a lighter
sentence if White changed attorneys.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin said
what Thornsbury did more than crossed the line.
“To violate someone’s rights in
order to obstruct a federal investigation….that’s really unthinkable,” Goodwin
said.
Thornsbury, who has been Mingo County
Thornsbury will face up to 10 years
in federal prison at his Jan. 13 sentencing but Goodwin said he could get a lot
less.
“It depends on how much he
cooperates (with the ongoing federal corruption investigation). It depends on
if he has fully accepted the responsibility for his crimes,” Goodwin said.
Thornsbury has been granted limited
immunity. Goodwin said federal prosecutors can’t use anything the former judge
tells them against him in the ongoing investigation.
Thornsbury agreed to resign and
also not to fight losing his law license. He could reapply in five years.
Thornsbury has also agreed never again to seek political office.
