Judge gunned down by sheriff ran courthouse ‘like a brothel’ in sextortion scheme: witness

A rural Kentucky judge gunned down by a sheriff in his own chambers allegedly ran the courthouse like a “brothel” and brought women to his office in an ongoing sex-for-favors scheme, a witness told cops.

The police audio recording, obtained by the NewsNation show, ‘Banfield’, revealed the latest sordid twist in the trial of ex-sheriff Shawn Stines, 43, who admitted to pumping several rounds into District Judge Kevin Mullins in the Letcher County courthouse in September.

The claim was made by Sabrina Adkins, a woman who, in 2022, had been coerced into sexual favors by one of Stines’ deputies, Ben Fields, in exchange for staying under house arrest.

Speaking to police about the assault, she suggested that the sextortion wasn’t a one-off incident — and Fields wasn’t the only one involved.

Security camera footage showed Shawn Stines shooting Kevin Mullins several times in his own chambers.
KY Courts

District Judge Kevin Mullins, whom a witness accused of helping run a sextortion scheme from the courthouse.
AP

Then-Sheriff Shawn Stines, who killed Mullins in his office.
AP

She said she saw multiple videos of multiple “higher ups” having sex in Mullins’ chambers and implied both Judge Mullins and Deputy Fields were in on a longstanding racket in which multiple women were coerced for sex

“I seen Judge Mullins having sex with a girl … in the judge’s chambers,” Adkins told police in the interview, adding that the then-deputy Fields “does have some videotapes of some stuff in the judge’s chambers… just with girls, sexual and stuff.”

“It’s like they were running a brothel out of that courtroom,” Adkins’ attorney, Ned Pillersdorf, told NewsNation.

It’s unclear whether the alleged sextortion scheme had anything to do with the execution-style slaying in which security footage shows Stine stepping into Mullins’ office and unloading eight rounds into his old pal at point-blank range.

But authorities have suggested it was being investigated as a possible sex scandal.

Shawn Stines as sheriff.
Letcher County Sheriff’s department / Facebook

Stines had known Mullins for 30 years before the slaying.
AP

Stines and Mullins had been close friends for 30 years. The pair were even seen having lunch together hours before the slaying.

After he surrendered to officers, Stines told police, “They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”

Stines’ attorney has called it a crime of passion due to an “extreme emotional disturbance,” and the ex-lawman has pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder of a public official, which could potentially carry the death penalty.

@dailymail New surveillance footage captured the moments that led a Kentucky sheriff to shoot local judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers. The alleged murder unfolded September 19, 2024, when Letcher County Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines was seen in the footage entering Mullins’ office as he sat with several others. Click the link to read the full story. #news #kentucky #sheriff #crime ♬ mystery – Dih

@dailymail Extended surveillance footage shows the chilling minutes before a Kentucky sheriff shot his good friend and local judge in his own chambers. Former Sheriff Shawn ‘Mickey’ Stines is accused of shooting and killing Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins in September 2024. The alleged murder came after the two men had a long interaction in Mullins’ chamber inside the Letcher County Courthouse in Whitesburg. Tap the link for the full story on DailyMail.com. Link in bio. #news #kentucky #crime #truecrime #judge ♬ Scary Tense – Steve Ralph