In a case that underscores the disturbing misuse of social media by educators, Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, a former high school teacher and coach, has entered a guilty plea for attempted enticement of a minor, according to a Department of Justice release. Mulkey, 43, engaged in what can only be described as predatory behavior, reaching out to a self-identified 14-year-old boy via Snapchat and engaging in sexually explicit exchanges.
On October 11, 2024, Mulkey initiated the alarming conversation, inquiring about the user's age, sex, and location, after which the user specified that they were a 14-year-old based in Orlando, by his own admission Mulkey was a 40-year-old football and track coach at the Sabinal High School, he then committed the reprehensible act of soliciting a sexually explicit photograph from said minor. The DOJ detailed that at the time of these messages, Mulkey's phone was geolocated uncomfortably close to the high school, within a mere 40 meters.
The ensuing day brought a continued violation of trust, with Mulkey sending a sexually explicit photo of himself to the minor and persisting with sexually explicit communications. This chain of events led to Mulkey's arrest on January 31. Now, he faces a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
Handling the case is U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas; his announcement drew attention to the joint investigative efforts by Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, and finally the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office—all of which served as critical collaborators, in an unsavory narrative that showcased the dark potential of online interactions between trusted figures and the youth they are meant to safely guide and educate.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Ekua Assabill will prosecute the case, with evidence against Mulkey expected to play a central role in the upcoming legal proceedings.
