MOREHEAD, KY – A sworn officer of the law turned predator. Joshua Preece, 40, of Morehead, Kentucky, was sentenced to 300 months – 25 years – in federal prison Monday after pleading guilty to a horrific crime: enticing a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Preece, a former Bath County Deputy Sheriff, betrayed his oath and a vulnerable child, shattering public trust.
The depravity unfolded on November 5, 2018. Preece responded to a call regarding a minor allegedly “acting out of control” at her home. Instead of offering help, he used the situation as an opportunity for abuse. He transported the victim to a remote location in Bath County, where he sexually assaulted her. The exploitation didn’t stop there. Preece later used Snapchat to solicit sexually explicit photos from the victim, further compounding the trauma.
A subsequent investigation into Preece’s phone revealed a trove of disturbing images, solidifying the evidence against him. He ultimately admitted to the conduct and entered a guilty plea in October 2021, but that did little to lessen the outrage surrounding the case. The details, as laid out in his plea agreement, paint a chilling portrait of abuse of power and predatory behavior.
“The conduct in this case is simply disgraceful,” stated Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “The offense itself – a brazen act of child exploitation and abuse – is abhorrent, but the fact that he did it while he was a law enforcement officer makes it even more so. He abused a vulnerable victim, while also betraying a public trust and doing enduring disservice to the dedicated efforts of all law enforcement.”
Under federal law, Preece will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his 25-year sentence. Upon release, he will face a lifetime of supervised release under the U.S. Probation Office. The case was a joint effort by the U.S. Secret Service, the Kentucky State Police, and the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood – a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. Robert Holman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, and Colonel Phillip Burnett, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Marye prosecuted the case. This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking even within positions of authority and the importance of relentless investigation and prosecution of those who prey on the innocent. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and resources for victims, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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