Former State Employee Gets 13 Years for Child Pornography

A former state employee in London, Ky., has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison after admitting to downloading images of child pornography from the internet while at work.

U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove handed down the sentence to 51-year-old Gordon Bowers, a former environmental scientist, on Thursday. Bowers must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence, and following his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years.

As part of his sentence, Judge Van Tatenhove ordered Bowers to pay $35,000 in restitution to multiple victims for costs associated with psychological counseling services.

According to a plea agreement, law enforcement identified several child pornography images and videos online in February 2014. Authorities traced the source of the images to a computer at the London State Office Building and found over 40,000 images of child pornography on Bowers’ state-issued computer and other electronic storage devices.

The images depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Bowers pleaded guilty in January of this year. The investigation was conducted by the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Coffey prosecuted this case on behalf of the federal government.

Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Jack Conway, Kentucky Attorney General, and Gary Hartwig, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), jointly made the announcement.

The case serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of child exploitation and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement and the federal government to protecting vulnerable populations and bringing those who harm them to justice.

Bowers’ sentence is a significant step towards justice for the victims of his crimes. The Grimy Times will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.

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