Jeffrey Adam Stone, Child Exploitation, Kentucky 2018

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A 31-year-old Brandenburg man has confessed to a sickening attempt to prey on a child online, admitting guilt to two federal child exploitation offenses. Jeffrey Adam Stone pleaded guilty Tuesday, May 22, 2018, in United States District Court, according to U.S. Attorney Russell M. Coleman.

Stone admitted to engaging in online communications with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, with the explicit intent of arranging a meeting for sexual acts. He didn’t stop there. Stone also confessed to sending obscene material to the individual, further cementing the depravity of his actions. The case originated from a meticulously planned online sting operation.

In November 2016, an investigator with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations deployed a decoy ad on Craigslist. Stone responded almost immediately. The investigator, posing as a 15-year-old girl, engaged with Stone, who quickly steered the conversations toward sexually suggestive topics. Court records show Stone repeatedly requested to meet the supposed minor for sex and sent explicit images of himself, believing he was communicating with a child.

This wasn’t a fleeting exchange. Stone persisted in his attempts, oblivious to the fact he was communicating with law enforcement. The Kentucky Attorney General’s office partnered with the U.S. Secret Service to build a solid case, ultimately leading to Stone’s arrest and now, his guilty plea. The Secret Service’s involvement highlights the agency’s expanding role in combating online crimes against children.

Stone is scheduled to be sentenced on August 15, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. before United States District Judge David J. Hale. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, followed by at least five years of Supervised Release. Unlike state systems, there is no parole in the federal system, meaning Stone will serve the full extent of his sentence. He currently remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless led the prosecution. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Office of Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service. This case serves as a chilling reminder of the predators lurking online and the crucial work of law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children. The Department of Justice, Western District of Kentucky, released the information.

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