Former High School Coach Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor

DEL RIO, Texas – Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, a former high school teacher and coach in Sabinal, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2024, Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, 43, used the social media application Snapchat to ask another user for their age, sex and location. After the user identified themselves as a 14-year-old boy living in Orlando, Florida, Mulkey stated that he was a 40-year-old football and track coach. Mulkey then requested a sexually explicit photo of the minor. According to the geolocation information contained within Mulkey’s cell phone, Mulkey was within 40 meters of Sabinal High School at the time he sent these initial messages.  The following day, Mulkey sent a sexually graphic photo of himself to the user. Mulkey asked questions and volunteered information to the minor that was sexually explicit in nature. He was arrested Jan. 31.

Mulkey faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Ekua Assabill are prosecuting the case.

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 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.justice.gov/psc.