Paducah man arrested on child pornography charges

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

PADUCAH, Ky., (KBSI) — A Paducah man has been arrested following an investigation into the possession and distribution of illegal material involving minors, according to the Paducah Police Department.

Benjamin Kohler, 30, was taken into custody on Oct. 13 after detectives discovered evidence linking him to the possession and sharing of explicit content involving a minor.

The investigation began when Officer Coy Dotson received a report of suspicious online activity dating back to 2018. After reviewing the information, Detective Logan Barrow launched a detailed investigation that uncovered multiple explicit images of a minor allegedly solicited by Kohler, as well as explicit photos of himself that he sent to a minor.

Following the investigation, a warrant was issued for Kohler’s arrest. He was taken into custody in the 2600 block of Monroe Street and booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.

Kohler faces the following charges:

Possession of Matter Portraying Sexual Performance by a Minor Over 12, Under 18 – First Offense

Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Minor (Under 18)

Distribution of Obscene Matter to Minors – First Offense

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8548 or leave an anonymous tip through West Kentucky Crime Stoppers at P3 Tips | Working Together to Solve & Prevent Crime.