Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
Kaden Heard, a 31-year-old resident of Foley, Alabama, was sentenced on December 12, 2025, to over ten years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. Heard pleaded guilty to the charges in September.
Court documents indicate that Heard used a social media platform to communicate with someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl from Phoenix. He expressed his intention to travel to Arizona for sexual activity with the minor and sent explicit photos of himself. During their conversations, Heard also discussed bringing alcohol, drugs, condoms, and a "secret" phone to their meeting.
Investigators reviewed Heard’s social media accounts and discovered thousands of chats where he sought images of child pornography. A search of his cell phone revealed hundreds of such images, including those depicting prepubescent minors. After being taken into custody, Heard confessed fully during an interview.
United States District Judge Kristi DuBose handed down a sentence of 121 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. As part of his sentence, Heard must undergo sex offender and mental health treatment while incarcerated. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender and is prohibited from having contact with minors. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to the victim and $200 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello for the Southern District of Alabama announced the sentencing decision.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) divisions in Phoenix and Mobile. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc; resources on internet safety education are available at https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.
