Former Republican governor and Trump ally jailed for two months
Former Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was arrested Thursday after months of defying court orders in an ongoing family court and child support dispute, according to local media outlets.
Bevin, a Republican and longtime ally of President Donald Trump who served as governor from 2015 to 2019, was taken into custody by the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and later booked into Louisville Metro Corrections.
The arrest stems from an active bench warrant issued by Jefferson County Family Court Judge Angela Johnson after Bevin was found in civil contempt. The warrant, filed in June, requires Bevin to spend 60 days in jail and pay a $500 fine.
Newsweek reached out to Bevin's lawyer via online form on Friday for comment.
Arrested on a Movie Set
According to local reports, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office acted on a tip that was called into 911. Deputies apprehended Bevin in Paris, Kentucky, where he was working as an extra on the set of The Greatest Christmas Gift .
The owner of the property where the movie was being filmed, Jessica Mohr, told Louisville Public Media the sheriff arrived on set looking for Bevin.
"The sheriff showed up and was asking some people if they'd seen his picture, and a young man was like, 'I think that gentleman's inside,'" Mohr recalled. "And then there he was, and he was sitting there speaking to the lead male actor, and yeah, he was arrested."
The legal battle centers on a dispute involving Bevin's ex-wife, Glenna Bevin, and their adopted son, Jonah. The court ordered both parents to submit comprehensive financial records—including tax returns and bank statements—as it weighs child support and financial provisions.
While Glenna Bevin complied with the disclosures, Johnson ruled that the former governor repeatedly failed to turn over the mandatory documentation.
Then-Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky speaks with the media prior to a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump on November 4, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky. The president was visiting Kentucky the day before Election Day in support of Bevin. (Photo by Bryan Woolston/Getty Images)
A Contentious Family Dispute
Jonah Bevin was one of four children Matt and his wife adopted from Ethiopia in 2012. Jonah alleged that his adoptive parents abandoned him at age 17 at a youth facility in Jamaica that was later shut down amid allegations of abusive conditions. After authorities intervened, Jonah said he was left to support himself and began seeking financial assistance, the Kentucky Lantern reported last year.
Jonah responded to his father's arrest by expressing sadness rather than celebration.
In a statement released Friday to local outlet WLKY, Jonah said that "the sad reality is that adoption is supposed to be forever," adding that his parents' actions had made clear to him that they had not felt that kind of love for him "in a long time." His attorneys, John Helmers Jr. and Melina Hettiaratchi, emphasized to the local station that the arrest was not something Jonah wanted, saying there was "no cause for celebration" when enforcing a parent's obligations requires an arrest. They said Jonah had sought only the basic financial support he needed to rebuild his life and expressed hope that the court's action would lead to accountability.
Judge's Sharp Rebuke
The dispute has been ongoing for months.
Bevin was previously held in contempt in May after failing to appear in court and avoided jail time by paying a $250 fine, the Kentucky Lantern reported. The former governor said he missed the court hearing because a boulder crashed into a home he owns in Maine. The judge subsequently ordered him to produce the records by June 5. Shortly before the deadline, Bevin's attorney requested additional time to provide the remaining financial records, but Johnson denied the request and issued an arrest warrant, the outlet reported.
Johnson criticized Bevin on Friday for what she characterized as his continued failure to cooperate with the court, according to Louisville Public Media. "You have done nothing to show the court that you are willing to act in good faith, and I cannot reward that with a reduced sentence or an alternative sentence or some form of relief for you."
"I will not allow you to taint the integrity of this court or any court with that kind of behavior," Johnson added.
The immediate focus now will likely be on whether Bevin provides the requested financial records and is potentially released or remains in custody while serving the 60-day sentence.
Trump and Bevin's History Explained
During his single term as governor, Bevin was a prominent conservative figure and a vocal ally of Trump.
Trump strongly backed Bevin's 2019 reelection campaign, giving him his "Complete and Total Endorsement" and holding a rally in Lexington on the eve of the election. Bevin, in turn, aligned himself closely with the president and his agenda, making the president's support a part of his reelection effort. Bevin ultimately lost to Democrat Andy Beshear by roughly 5,000 votes.
At the time, the Associated Press described Bevin as a "close ally" of Trump.
Newsweek also reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Jason Lemon and Anthony Murray .
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