Kentucky State Police Charges Whitley Co. Man With Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (December 9, 2024) –On December 6, 2024, at approximately 3:27 p.m., the Kentucky State Police (KSP) Electronic Crime Branch located, interviewed, and arrested Pierce Hamblin, 47, related to a child sexual abuse material investigation.
Hamblin was interviewed as the result of an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation. The KSP Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after receiving a complaint that the suspect was secretly recording juveniles inside of his residence.
Hamblin is currently charged with three counts of Promoting a Minor Under the Age of 16 in a Sexual Performance. This charge is a Class-B felony punishable by 10-20 years in prison. Hamblin was also charged with two counts of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Minor Under the Age of 18. This charge is a Class-C felony punishable by 5-10 years in prison. An additional charge of Possession of Matter Portraying a Minor Over the Age of 12 in a Sexual Performance. This charge is a Class-D felony punishable by 1-5 years in prison. This investigation is still ongoing. Hamblin was lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.
The Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is comprised of more than 26 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The mission of the ICAC Task Force, created by the United States Department of Justice and administrated by the Kentucky State Police, is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing a response to cyber- enticement and child sexual abuse material investigations. This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention, and community education. The ICAC program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material, and the heightened online activity of predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.
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