Retired Lt. Col. Paul Knoke Gets 15 Years for Child Porn Crimes

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Paul Delavan Knoke, 77, a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, was sentenced Monday to 180 months in federal prison for receiving, distributing, and possessing child pornography — the final chapter in a decades-long spree of sexual predation that victimized at least eight boys entrusted to his care. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger handed down the sentence, which includes a lifetime of supervised release and mandatory sex offender registration upon Knoke’s eventual release from prison.

The case, prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray, exposed a horrifying pattern of abuse stretching over more than 30 years. Knoke, once a respected military officer, admitted to committing over 1,500 contact sexual offenses against minor males, many of whom were under his supervision at various points in his life. When he wasn’t preying on children in person, investigators say, Knoke was immersed in a dark digital world — downloading, viewing, and sharing graphic images of child exploitation across offender networks.

In June 2017, authorities first identified Knoke’s online activity involving child pornography. A search warrant executed at his then-residence yielded a trove of evidence: computers, thumb drives, and hard-copy printouts containing an extensive collection of explicit images of minor males. Forensic analysis confirmed Knoke had shared these materials with known offenders, embedding himself in a criminal ecosystem built on the abuse of children.

Knoke pleaded guilty in August 2018 to five counts of receipt of child pornography, three counts of distribution, and one count of possession. He has been in federal custody since June 2018 and will be transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility upon designation. Federal sentences carry no possibility of parole, ensuring Knoke will serve every year ordered by the court.

“For decades, Knoke inflicted horrific and sustained sexual abuse upon innocent children entrusted in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “When Knoke wasn’t physically abusing children, he was turning to a digital screen to view and share child pornography. As result of the 15-year sentence imposed today, there will be one less sexual predator among us.”

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charlotte and the Asheville Police Department, with critical support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Acting Special Agent in Charge John Eisert emphasized that predators often hide behind credentials and respectability. “No one expects a lieutenant colonel to be a sexual predator, but in child exploitation cases, we continually see individuals in positions of trust prey on innocent children,” Eisert said. “We’re committed to uncovering these crimes and ensuring justice is served — no matter the badge or rank.”