Ronald Knox, a 55-year-old resident of Walton, Kentucky, was sentenced on March 13 to 168 months in prison for distributing and possessing child pornography, according to an announcement by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the exploitation of minors online. Knox's sentencing is part of a broader initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Court documents show that in January 2025, Knox distributed an image depicting a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover law enforcement officer using a BitTorrent peer-to-peer network. In May 2025, authorities seized devices from Knox’s home and found a significant amount of child pornography, including the previously distributed image and other similar material. Knox admitted to viewing such content for years.
Under federal law, Knox must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. After completing his prison term, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for twenty years. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Campbell County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack is prosecuting the case.
Paul McCaffrey, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Louisville Field Office; and Chief Craig Patrick Sorrell of the Campbell County Police Department jointly announced the sentence.
The prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated federal, state, and local resources. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
