Morehead Man Sentenced to 144 Months for Distribution of Child Pornography

ASHLAND, Ky. - A Morehead, Kentucky man, Ranger Lacy, 43, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison on Monday, by U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for distribution of child pornography.           

In his guilty plea agreement, Lacy admitted that, between November 2, 2012 and December 19, 2012, he made sexually explicit images of minors available for sharing and the images were shared with other users.  A subsequent search of Lacy’s laptop and computer equipment uncovered more than 10,000 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Lacy also admitted that his computer had been set up to share files through a sharing network.           

Lacy pleaded guilty in November 2019.

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Division; and Rodney Brewer, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement. 

The investigation was directed by the FBI and Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.  The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wade Napier.

            This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

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