Madison County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 28, 2010 |
LEXINGTON, KY—A Richmond, Kentucky man admitted in federal court yesterday that he distributed child pornography videos and photographs.
Kenneth Rowe, 61, pled guilty to two counts of distribution of child pornography.
Rowe, who lived in Madison County and owned a dental lab in Lexington, admitted that between October and November of 2009, he downloaded and distributed child pornography.
A forensic examination of Rowe’s computer earlier this year revealed over 2,000 photos and more than 20 videos containing child pornography.
Some of the child pornography videos featured minors younger than 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct with adults.
According to the written plea agreement, a forensic examination of another suspect’s computer seized in Virginia by FBI agents in 2008, revealed numerous videos and photographs of child pornography e-mailed from Rowe.
During the FBI investigation in Kentucky, it was determined that Rowe had uploaded additional child pornography which was discovered after a tip was relayed to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Further investigation also established that Rowe chatted online with an undercover officer between October of 2009 and January of 2010, about Rowe’s sexual interest in children.
During the communication between Rowe and the undercover officer, Rowe e-mailed the officer videos of child pornography. Federal search warrants were executed on January 10, 2010, at Rowe’s dental studio in Lexington and his residence in Madison County.
According to court pleadings, Rowe was convicted in 1988 in Nevada for lewdness with a minor.
Kerry B. Harvey, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Elizabeth A. Fries, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Division; and Rodney Brewer, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement today.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Kentucky State Police. The sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2011.
This case was brought as part of the Eastern District of Kentucky’s efforts pursuant to Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative dedicated to protecting children from online exploitation and abuse.