Lucas Kern, Child Pornography, Indiana 2026

Huntington Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Prison

FORT WAYNE, Indiana – Lucas Kern, 46 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

On February 27, 2026, Chief Judge Holly A. Brady presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court. Kern pleaded guilty to the charges and was subsequently sentenced to 168 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, law enforcement received information in January 2024 regarding an individual using an email account to access child sexual abuse material. An investigation revealed that the email account was registered to Lucas Kern's home in Huntington, Indiana. When confronted with evidence in August 2025, Kern admitted to receiving the image, and a subsequent search of his cell phone revealed a large number of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Huntington County Sheriff's Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dawn Ransom.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Lucas Kern will begin serving his prison sentence immediately. His guilty plea and subsequent sentencing serve as a reminder of the serious consequences of child exploitation.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/pr/huntington-man-sentenced-168-months-prison