Princeton man charged with multiple child sex exploitation offenses
PRINCETON, Ky. (KBSI) – A man Princeton, Ky. man faces multipe charges related to child sexual abuse material after Kentucky State Police arrested him.
Tommy Hall, 51, is charged with seven counts of distribution of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance under 12 years old and 20 counts of possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance under 12 years old. These charges are Class-C felonies punishable by five to 10 years in prison, according to KSP.
The Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Hall after an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation.
The Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after discovering the suspect sharing images of child sexual exploitation online, according to KSP.
Authorities executed a search warrant at a home in Princeton on March 13. Equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination, according to KSP.
Hall was taken to the Caldwell County Detention Center.
The investigation continues.
The Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is comprised of more than twenty-six local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The mission of the ICAC Task Force, created by the United States Department of Justice and administered by the Kentucky State Police, is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing a response to cyber enticement and child sexual abuse material investigations. This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention and community education. The ICAC program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material, and the heightened online activity of predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.
