Forensic examination revealed images of individual engaging in acts that warranted first-degree sexual abuse, other charges
FRANKFORT, KY. (Jan. 24, 2019) – A 26-year-old Richmond man has been indicted by a Madison County grand jury on nearly 30 counts of alleged sex crimes after he was arrested by cyber investigators from the office of Attorney General Andy Beshear in October.
Dylan Minch was indicted Jan. 17 on 20 counts of possession of child pornography, one count of first-degree sexual abuse, and eight counts of the use of a minor under 16 years of age in a sex performance.
Minch was arrested Oct. 30, 2018, after an online investigation by Beshear’s Cyber Crimes Unit. Cyber investigators secured a search warrant of Minch’s home where they recovered several electronic devices that contained graphic media files of children engaged in sexual acts.
Beshear said while Minch was initially charged with the possession of child pornography images at the time of his arrest, the grand jury was presented forensic evidence by cyber investigators’ examination of Minch’s devices that revealed images of Minch engaging in acts that investigators felt warranted the additional sex crime charges.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Madison County Jennifer Smith is prosecuting the case.
“The Attorney General has a duty to keep our children and families safe,” Beshear said. “By working with the Kentucky State Police and the Madison County Commonwealth’s Attorney, we were able to take one more child predator off the streets and make our communities a little bit safer for our children.”
Minch is currently housed in the Madison County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash bond.
The Cyber Crimes Unit is part of the Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that works to reduce the number of child predators going after Kentucky’s most vulnerable children.
With the ever-changing cyber landscape, the unit is dedicated to educating its detectives on the most current techniques and technologies to keep pace with those seeking to harm children.
The Office of the Attorney General also makes it a priority to educate law enforcement, prosecutors, parents, children and caregivers on dangers of the internet.
To help keep children safe online, the office has collaborated with Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky to offer statewide trainings.
Beshear said the trainings offer a free Internet Safety Toolkit, which he said every Kentuckian could access online to obtain information that can protect children from cyber bullying to online predators.
Report any instance of child abuse to local law enforcement or to Kentucky’s Child Abuse hotline at 877-597-2331 or 877-KYSAFE1.
Photo of the accused courtesy of the Madison County Detention Center.
