An Owensboro lawyer has pleaded guilty to charges including exploitation of an adult and possession of forged documents. His plea agreement included a 5-year sentence, but he’s been placed on 5 years probation, court documents show.
Darron Brawner, now 51, was the founder and senior attorney at Western Kentucky Elder Law in Owensboro. The charges against Brawner were brought about in 2024 by Kentucky’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control for incidents that occurred in Ohio County. It was presented to the Ohio County Grand Jury in July 2024, when Brawner was indicted.
Court documents show Brawner pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to the following charges:
- One count of knowing exploitation of an adult, resulting loss of more than $300 (complicity) — a Class C felony
- Four counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument (complicity) — a Class D felony
Records show Brawner received a 5-year sentence for the exploitation charge and 3 years each for the forged instrument charges, to all run concurrently for a total of 5 years.
However, documents show Brawner was granted probation starting March 7, 2025, and ending March 3, 2030. If he does not meet the conditions of his supervised release until that date, Brawner will go to prison.
The Kentucky Bar Association website lists Brawner’s law license as being suspended.
According to his indictment, the exploitation charge stems from incidents in Ohio County from July 16, 2019, through April 30, 2021, when “acting alone or in complicity with another or others … he obtained or used [the victim’s] resources, including, but not limited to funds, assets, or property, by deception, or similar means, with the intent to deprive [the victim] of those resources.”
Records show the forged instrument charges stem from four separate incidents when, “with knowledge that it is forged and with intent to defraud, deceive, or injure another, he uttered or possessed any forged instrument.”
According to the indictment, the forged instruments and the date of the incidents were power of attorney and limited power of attorney (both on August 9, 2019), deed of conveyance (September 11, 2019), and qualifying income trust (November 25, 2019).
Four other people were initially charged in the case.
Douglas Key’s indictment shows the exact same five charges as Brawner. Court documents show Key is scheduled to appear back in court in August, with a trial set for September.
Jana Brawner was indicted for the forged instrument charge regarding the qualifying income trust on November 25, 2019. Kristy Burchfield and Kyle L. Nixon were indicted for the forged instrument charges regarding power of attorney and limited power of attorney on August 9, 2019. Court records show charges for all three individuals were “dismissed with stipulation of probable cause” on March 4, 2025.
To file a Medicaid fraud or abuse complaint or to report the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult, visit ag.ky.gov/MedicaidFraud or call the Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Hotline at 1-877-ABUSE TIP (1-877-228-7384).
