William Clark, a 70-year-old resident of Crestview Hills, Kentucky, was sentenced on April 23 to 63 months in prison for receiving child pornography. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning.
The case is significant as it highlights ongoing efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and enforce federal laws protecting minors. According to the plea agreement, law enforcement responded on July 13, 2024, to a report that Clark was taking photos of children in swimsuits at a recreation center in Kenton County. Officers spoke with Clark, who admitted possessing computer-generated depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and downloading such material from two websites.
Clark consented to a search of his electronic devices. Investigators found approximately 885 digital images and three videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit acts. Hundreds of these files were downloaded from websites Clark acknowledged visiting. Under federal law, he must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release and will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for five years after leaving prison.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations; and Chief Mike Leming from the Erlanger Police Department announced the sentence. The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the Erlanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack prosecuted the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation online and rescuing victims through collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky enforces federal laws and maintains community safety through prosecutions and partnerships with other agencies according to its official website. The office addresses issues such as drug abuse prevention and elder protection through community initiatives according to its official website. It also works with agencies on projects like the Elder Justice Task Force according to its official website.
Several early U.S. Attorneys for this district held notable positions including seats on the Supreme Court or serving as governor according to its official website. The office originated with the Judiciary Act of 1789 according to its official website.
