COVINGTON – On March 27, 2019, Covington Police arrested Dale Anthony Brinker, 60, of Ft. Wright, on a felony warrant charging him with two counts of Theft over $10,000 and one count of Theft over $500. Kentucky State Police Detective Charles Hazelwood obtained the warrant after an investigation into a complaint about suspected misappropriation of funds entrusted to Brinker. The Kentucky Bar Association lists Brinker as a “former member” and information available on the KBA website indicates he has been suspended from the practice of law since 2010.

According to the arrest warrant, Joan Siemer signed a will that was prepared by Brinker in 1994. The will made Brinker the executor of Siemer’s estate which directed a $500 gift to the Benedictine Sisters of St. Wahlburg and the balance to distributed evenly among three heirs: Mark Hammond, James Dugan, Jr., and Anna Dugan Owens. Court records show Siemer died in February, 2006. Public records indicate Siemer’s estate sold a piece of real estate in Southgate, KY, for $83,000 in May, 2006. A bank account was opened in the name of Siemer’s estate using the same address as Brinker’s former law office. Detective Hazelwood obtained banking records which indicate the account contained a total of $110,000 which sat untouched until January, 2019 when two transfers of $10,000 were made to accounts controlled by Brinker and one $5,000 check was cashed by Brinker.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said prosecutors are seeking the public’s assistance to locate the heirs of Siemer’s estate. Sanders said investigators are also looking into at least two other complaints of allegedly misappropriated funds from other accounts. Sanders advises anyone who has reason to believe Brinker may have been holding funds entrusted to him prior to his suspension from the practice of law to contact Kentucky State Police. Anyone who believes they have information which would assist in the investigation or who may be a victim, should contact Detective Charles Hazelwood at Kentucky State Police Post 6 in Dry Ridge at (859) 428-1212.

Theft >$10,000 is a Class C felony punishable by 5 to 10 years in prison. Theft >$500 is a Class D felony punishable by 1 to 5 years in prison. Kentucky law caps the potential prison sentence for Class C and D felonies at 20 years in prison. Brinker was arraigned in Kenton District Court on March 28, 2019, where Judge Douglas Grothaus set Brinker’s bond at $25,000 cash. Brinker’s request for a public defender was denied because he was not considered “indigent.” Court records do not indicate whether Brinker has hired an attorney.

A warrant is only a charging document. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.