A 31-year-old Winchester man is facing 11 felony counts after Kentucky State Police traced an online child sexual abuse material investigation that started in Trimble County back to his front door. Clay Hamilton was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Clark County Detention Center, according to state police.
Trimble County Tip Leads Troopers to Winchester
The case began as an online child pornography investigation that started in Trimble County, according to lex18.com. That trail eventually pointed investigators toward a home in Winchester, where troopers obtained a search warrant before arresting Hamilton at the residence. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center the same day, per the same report.
State police say Hamilton is accused of sharing child sexual abuse and exploitation images online. Troopers seized equipment they say was used to facilitate the alleged crime and sent it to the Kentucky State Police forensic laboratory for further examination, the outlet notes.
Eleven Felony Counts, Ranging From One to Ten Years
Hamilton faces 10 counts of possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance, each a Class-D felony punishable by one to five years in prison. He also faces a single Class-C felony count for possession of matter portraying a minor in a sexual performance involving a child under 12 years old, which carries a punishment of five to 10 years in prison, as reported by lex18.com.
Kentucky's statute on distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor addresses distribution offenses, including possession with intent to distribute; it classifies distribution as a Class C felony when the person knows the minor is under 18 and a Class B felony when the person knows the minor is under 12.
Investigation Remains Open
Kentucky State Police say the investigation is ongoing. As WKYT reported, no additional details about the scope of the forensic review or any further charges have been released. State police have not said whether the Trimble County origins of the investigation will result in separate charges elsewhere, leaving that piece of the case unresolved for now.
