SANDY HOOK, KY- A former director of the Elliott County Ambulance Service has been indicted on six felony charges following an investigation into the alleged misuse of public funds during his time leading the county agency.
Michael Thomas Burling, 40, of West Liberty, was indicted by an Elliott County Grand Jury on charges that include:
Two counts of Abuse of Public Trust Over $100,000 (Class B felonies)
One count of Theft by Deception – Including Cold Checks – $10,000 or More (Class B felony)
One count of Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition of Property Valued Between $10,000 and $1,000,000 (Class C felony)
One count of Tampering With Public Records (Class D felony)
One count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Second Degree (Class D felony)
According to court records, the alleged offenses occurred between January 2018 and May 2024, while Burling served as director of the Elliott County Ambulance Service.
Investigators allege that Burling improperly used employer funds and falsified official records during that time. The investigation was conducted by the Kentucky Attorney General's Office, including its Department of Criminal Investigations, which handles allegations involving public corruption and misuse of government funds.
Burling was arrested on June 23, 2026, by the Magoffin County Sheriff's Department and later booked into the Rowan County Detention Center on June 25, according to jail records.
Online court records show Burling's case remains open in Elliott Circuit Court. His bond was set at $100,000 cash.
The Rowan County Detention Center inmate roster reflects the following charges associated with the indictment:
Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition of Property Valued Between $10,000 and $1,000,000
Theft by Deception (Including Cold Checks) $10,000 or More
Abuse of Public Trust Over $100,000 (two counts)
Tampering With Public Records
Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Second Degree
A pretrial conference is scheduled for August 10, 2026.
As with all criminal proceedings, an indictment is not a finding of guilt. It is a formal accusation returned by a grand jury after determining there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed through the court system. Burling is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Sources: Kentucky court records; Rowan County Detention Center inmate roster; information released by the Kentucky Attorney General's Office.