A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has indicted a Franklin resident on charges related to child sexual exploitation. Joseph N. Roush, 27, faces accusations of distributing and possessing child pornography, as well as sexually exploiting children.
The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, alongside Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville and Sheriff Jere Hopson of the Simpson County Sheriff's Office.
Roush is charged with one count each for distribution and possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children according to the indictment. He previously appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, where he was ordered detained pending trial.
If convicted, Roush could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to a maximum of 70 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on sentencing guidelines and other factors. It should be noted that there is no parole available within the federal system.
The investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in conjunction with the Simpson County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus from the Paducah Branch Office is prosecuting this case.
As per legal standards, an indictment is an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
