
A Licking County man is facing serious allegations of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material as well as engaging in sexual acts with animals. Trent S. Willard, 40, from Heath, has been charged with a multitude of offenses, including pandering obscenity involving a minor, pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, and sexual conduct with an animal, according to court documents.
The accusations came to light following a cyber tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children task force focused on a Kik user identified as "go_bucks13" linked to Willard's email address on June 2, which allegedly was used to send or receive child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigators retrieved over 150 disturbing images and videos involving children, even as young as one-year-old, engaged in sexual acts. Additionally, materials depicting sexual conduct with dogs were found, as reported by WBNS.
Appearing in Licking County Common Pleas Court, Willard pled not guilty last month to all charges. His bail was set at $500,000 on December 23. During the search of his residence, Willard purportedly confessed to using the apps Kik and Telegram for communication on the internet and his involuntary struggle with pornography, according to a statement obtained by The Newark Advocate. The devices seized from his home are central to the present investigation, holding evidence central to the charges against him.
Along with Willard's charges, John Moran, 69, of Newark, faces legal accusations of complicity related to sexual conduct with an animal. Moran has also pleaded not guilty and is set for a jury trial on February 10. As reported by ABC6, after meeting Moran through a dating app, Willard was allegedly twice welcomed to his home, where the animal abuse occurred. The confiscated animals from Moran's property included two dogs and 60 sheep. In the wake of these traumatic events, humane society agents, often the initial responders to such crimes, were offered the support of a crisis counselor, with Lori Carlson, the executive director of the Humane Society, expressing the emotional toll of handling cases of such a nature.
Willard remains in custody, awaiting his next court appearance on February 21. This case has rippled through the Licking County community, shedding light on the darker corners of internet-enabled abuses and the ongoing battle against exploiting the vulnerable, both human and animal. The investigation, led by the sheriff's office in collaboration with the Licking County Humane Society, continues as the authorities work through the case details.