A Lexington man, Eric Kelsey Shepherd, 30, received a 50-year prison sentence on Friday from U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for producing child pornography.
According to the plea agreement, law enforcement was alerted in January 2022 concerning a 12-year-old victim sexually exploited by an adult male. Subsequent investigation identified Shepherd, then 27, as the perpetrator who met the victim through Snapchat under the false pretense of being 17 years old. He met the victim several times to engage in sexual activity, some of which the victim reported involved violence. Shepherd captured images and videos of these interactions on both his and the victim's cellphones. Due to a prior conviction for sexual abuse and unlawful transaction with a minor, Shepherd faces enhanced penalties.
As per federal law, Shepherd is required to serve 85 percent of his sentence. Following his release, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, alongside Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Lawrence Weathers of the Lexington Police Department; and Sheriff Mike Coyle of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office announced the sentencing.
The investigation involved HSI, the Lexington Police Department, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 aimed at tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program combines resources from federal, state, and local authorities to identify offenders and rescue victims. Additional details on Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.