Paducah, KY – A chilling case of child exploitation has come to light at the Fort Campbell military installation in Kentucky. Zachary Martin Young, a 54-year-old former soldier from Swansea, South Carolina, has been charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
According to court documents, Young knowingly engaged in a sexual act with a minor victim who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years. The heinous crime took place between March 1999 and February 2000.
Young, a soldier at the time of the offense, later retired from the U.S. Army in 2014. His actions have left a lasting impact on the victim and the community at large.
The FBI Hopkinsville Satellite Office and the Army CID are conducting the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office prosecuting the case.
Young was arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on July 29, 2025. If convicted, he faces a sentence of not more than 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is ongoing, and further developments will be reported as they become available.
Zachary Martin Young, the defendant, is a former soldier who has been charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor. The exact criminal charges are as follows: one count of sexual abuse of a minor.
The city and state where the crime took place are Paducah, Kentucky. The exact date of the crime is between March 1999 and February 2000.
The sentence or outcome for Young is currently pending. However, if convicted, he could face a sentence of not more than 15 years in prison.
Key Facts
- State: Kentucky
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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