The Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association met this week in Lexington, Kentucky for its annual conference and continuing education. At the association’s awards luncheon on Tuesday, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders was presented with the “Carroll M. Redford Award” naming him “Outstanding Kentucky Prosecutor” for 2023. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the statewide association of felony prosecutors who consider it the equivalent of a “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Sanders is in his third term in office, having served as Commonwealth’s Attorney in the 16th Judicial Circuit since 2007.

“I’ve seen some really great Kentucky prosecutors receive this award,” said Sanders, “so be be recognized in the same way is incredibly humbling and I’m truly honored.”

The text of KCAA President Carrie Ovey-Wiggins’ speech at the time of the award presentation is below:

“Rob Sanders has served as Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 16th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky (Kenton County) since 2007. Rob oversees a staff of eleven assistant prosecutors while maintaining his own full caseload of active cases.

In 2022, Rob tried numerous cases across a broad spectrum. Most notably, he successfully tried multiple cases… of Possession of a Controlled Substance, so that he became known in his office as the best Class D prosecutor around. But that’s not all, just in 2022, Rob also tried several handgun by felon cases, a road rage murder where a woman was shot numerous times at close range, an attempted murder of a police officer where an individual wearing his own body armor fired numerous shots from a rifle at officers, a robbery where the gang-affiliated Defendant came down from Milwaukee for the purpose of robbing a drug dealer but went to the wrong house and instead victimized a minor with disabilities and his family, and a sodomy involving a 3-year-old victim that resulted in a life sentence.

If you’ve asked him – or if you follow the news in Northern Kentucky – you probably already knew about some or all of those accomplishments. But Rob’s dedication to prosecuting crime and protecting his community goes deeper than just those headlines. Rob, at his heart, is everything you want in a prosecutor.

Rob created Kenton County’s HEART Program, pre-dating the so-called “Rocket Docket,” which worked to quickly get drug possession offenders out of jail and into treatment and to ensure that someone was monitoring their progress and success. Rob also worked on and advocated for what became “Ernie’s Law,” which changed the law to make it a felony to assault a police K9.

Rob also advocates not just for his office but for all prosecutors across the Commonwealth. Rob has been heavily involved within the Commonwealth’s Attorney Association throughout his career and has served in every elected office within the Association. He is currently the co-legislative chairman of the Association where he fights for and protects prosecutors across the state. In 2023, Rob was elected to his 3rd term on the prosecutor’s advisory council.

Rob is also an incredible supporter of law enforcement and partner agencies. Rob hosts an annual golf outing supporting the Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center, which has raised over $20,000 in just the last 2 years, allowing the CAC to continue the great work they do in support of the children in Northern Kentucky. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rob organized and sponsored “Takeout Tuesdays,” where local restaurants provided free meals to first responders who continued to protect the community.

Prior to his election as Commonwealth’s Attorney, Rob was an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in the same office, and then a partner with his father, wife, and brother, in The Sanders Law Firm, PSC in Covington, and served as Vice-Mayor in the City of Covington. Outside the practice of law, Rob served for twenty years as a volunteer firefighter on the Ft. Mitchell Fire Department where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant before retiring.



Rob and his wife, Delana, live in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky with their daughter and two dogs.”

For additional information contact:

Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders

rsanders@prosecutors.ky.gov
(859) 292-6580

Posted on Friday, February 10th, 2023 @ 1:12PM
Categories: Blog, Commonwealth's Commentary, Media/Press Releases, Press Room

 

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