Former high school teacher and coach Kenneth Wayne Mulkey admitted to a federal court on Monday that he attempted to coerce and entice a minor. At age 43, Mulkey engaged in conversations of a sexual nature with a user, who identified themselves as a 14-year-old boy, through the social media application Snapchat.
According to details released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mulkey, while positioned near Sabinal High School, initiated contact with the minor on October 11, 2024, seeking the user's age, sex, and location. Caught within a trap of his own design, Mulkey didn't just ask for the minor’s details but also sent an explicit photo of himself and engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the boy the following day.
The admission of guilt sets the stage for Mulkey, who now faces a potential sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison based on the gravity of the charge. The sentencing will be handed down by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant statutory factors in determining the ultimate punishment.
As this case moves forward, it shines an unwelcome spotlight on the lurking dangers of online interactions between adults in positions of authority and minors. Mulkey's sentencing, set by a date yet to be disclosed, will be determined by a judge whose deliberation will take into account the severity of the crime and it's near a place of education and trust—a high school where Mulkey was employed.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, in coordination with assistance from both the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons, for the Western District of Texas, announced Mulkey’s guilty plea, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Ekua Assabill.
