WICKLIFFE, KY — A former Ballard County Detention Center sergeant, Robert S. Hill, 46, was arrested early Monday, April 14, on a first-degree drug trafficking charge, according to the Carlisle County Sheriff’s Office.
Hill was taken into custody in Wickliffe, reportedly on his way to the Ballard County Jail where he had previously worked. Jail officials confirmed that Hill’s employment was terminated the same day.
The arrest stems from an April 10 investigation, where Hill was allegedly seen on surveillance video purchasing hydrocodone tablets during a hand-to-hand drug transaction at a Huck’s gas station in Bardwell. Authorities with the River Counties’ Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force say Hill was wearing his detention officer badge during the drug buy, which occurred shortly after he finished a shift at the jail.
A Kentucky State Police trooper later confirmed Hill’s identity from the surveillance footage.
During the arrest, officers reportedly found Hill in possession of four handguns and additional hydrocodone tablets. Investigators also said Hill confessed to purchasing the pills on April 10.
Hill was booked into the McCracken County Jail, where he faces a charge of trafficking in a controlled substance, first degree. As of now, his bond has not been set.
