FRANKFORT, Ky. (August 5, 2025) – Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today that Tony Skeans, the former Commonwealth’s Attorney for Johnson, Lawrence and Martin Counties, has joined the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit.
Skeans served as the chief felony prosecutor for the 24th Judicial Circuit from 2019-2024. Before his election, he served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for over two decades.
While in the Commonwealth’s Attorney's Office, Skeans formed a Special Victims Unit centered on securing justice for the victims of child abuse and child sexual abuse. The unit was the first of its kind in southeastern Kentucky. Skeans has also received statewide recognition for his support for victims of domestic violence. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky.
“Tony has dedicated nearly three decades to serving the people of his beloved eastern Kentucky. His experience and tenacity will bolster our efforts to keep our mountain families safe,” Attorney General Coleman said. “In his first days with us, Tony picked up several tough cases, including a decades-old murder on appeal. I am honored to serve with a prosecutor of his caliber and reputation.”
Skeans joins the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit, led by Executive Director Tim Cocanougher and Deputy Director Ramsey Dallam. He will be based out of the Attorney General’s Office in Prestonsburg, further expanding the Office’s ability to serve Kentuckians in the eastern part of the Commonwealth.
Attorney General Coleman has prioritized the Special Prosecutions Unit and providing services to those outside the Golden Triangle of Louisville, Lexington, and Frankfort. He recently announced the addition of former Commonwealth’s Attorney for Graves County Richie Kemp to the team. Kemp works primarily out of the Attorney General’s office in Benton, assisting those in West Kentucky.