FRANKFORT, KY. (Jan. 23, 2017) – In an effort to better protect Kentucky’s children, Attorney General Andy Beshear today announced a Floyd County man has been arrested and charged with one count of possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and one count of distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor.
Kenneth Lewis, 49, of Prestonsburg, was arrested Jan. 19 following the execution of a search warrant at his residence by cyber investigators with Beshear’s Cyber Crimes Unit.
The arrest of Lewis was the result of a three-week undercover investigation by the Cyber Crimes Unit into the online trading of images and videos that depict the sexual exploitation of children.
The Cyber Crimes Unit was assisted by officers from Kentucky State Police Post 9 and agents with the federal Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
Lewis is currently housed in the Floyd County Detention Center and was scheduled to be arraigned in Floyd District Court Jan. 20. The investigation into Lewis and his activities is ongoing by Beshear’s cyber investigators.
This arrest is part of Operation Shielded Child, an initiative by Attorney General Beshear’s Department of Criminal Investigations to identify, investigate and arrest those who would do harm to children.
“Today, our children are just a little bit safer,” Beshear said. “The attorney general is the chief advocate and protector for our Kentucky families, and it’s our job to partner with law enforcement at every level to take those who would exploit children off the streets to ensure our communities are safe.”
Beshear’s work to prevent child abuse led to nearly 80 arrests, indictments and convictions of online child predators over the last year. Arrests involving the discovery of child pornography increased 54 percent by Beshear’s cyber investigator in 2016 over the previous year.
