A 26-year-old man from the Knox County community of Gray is behind bars after state troopers say he admitted to soliciting sex from someone he believed was a 13-year-old boy, then planned to take an Uber to that person's home in Corbin for sexual intercourse. Dalton Ray Woods was arrested earlier this week and now faces a felony charge tied to online child exploitation.
According to The Big ONE 106.3 FM WRIL, the case broke open when a caller reported having messages from Woods and notified law enforcement about them while physically at Woods' residence. KSP Trooper John Hoskins responded and interviewed Woods directly, and the account of what followed is detailed entirely in that report.
Admissions Made During the Interview
During questioning, Woods admitted to communicating with the purported juvenile through TikTok, per the same account. He allegedly asked for the boy's cell phone number so the conversation could continue outside the app, and he reportedly said he intended to take an Uber to the boy's residence in Corbin for sexual intercourse, a trip he planned to make Sunday.
The station's report states Woods admitted sending the messages and wanting sexual intercourse with the person he believed was a 13-year-old boy. He was arrested and charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means, then lodged in the Knox County Kentucky Detention Center. He remains held on a $50,000 cash bond. Under Kentucky's judicial guidelines, a cash bond of that size requires full payment upfront to the court clerk, and the entire amount can be forfeited to the Commonwealth if a defendant fails to appear or violates release conditions, according to the Kentucky Court of Justice.
What the Charge Carries Under Kentucky Law
Kentucky's statute on procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means, KRS 510.155, applies regardless of whether a suspect is communicating with an actual minor or someone believed to be a minor, and the offense is considered legally complete upon solicitation even if no physical meeting ever happens, according to FindLaw. That legal standard means the case can proceed even though the person Woods allegedly messaged was not confirmed to be an actual child.
Under 2024 legislative updates known as House Bill 278, that offense is now classified as a Class C felony when it involves a minor under 18, carrying a potential prison sentence of five to 10 years, per BillTrack50. Kentucky's violent offender statute further classifies felony sex offenses under Chapter 510 as violent offenses, meaning a conviction would require Woods to serve at least 85% of any sentence before becoming eligible for parole, according to the Bouldin Law Firm. A conviction would also trigger mandatory registration on the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry, imposing lasting restrictions on housing, employment and contact with children.
A Case Handled by KSP Post 10
Knox County falls under the regional jurisdiction of Kentucky State Police Post 10 in Harlan, which covers state trooper operations and felony investigations across Knox, Harlan and Bell counties. Gray itself sits roughly 10 miles southeast of Corbin, the Kentucky town where Woods allegedly planned to travel for the encounter, putting his home and his intended destination within easy driving distance across county lines, according to research compiled by UKnowledge.
Cases like this one typically move through the broader Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which operates under the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch and coordinates more than 26 local, state and federal agencies statewide to investigate online enticement.
The Caller’s Report
The caller who alerted law enforcement had messages from Woods.
It remains unclear whether digital evidence from Woods' phone or TikTok account has been submitted for formal forensic analysis, whether additional charges could be presented to a Knox County grand jury, or when his initial court appearance will be scheduled.
