Kentucky State Police Charges Knott County Man With Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses
HINDMAN, Ky. (October 14, 2026) – On October 13, 2026, at approximately 3:14 p.m., the Kentucky State Police (KSP) Electronic Crime Branch located and arrested Jared Oneil Salmons, 46, on charges related to a child sexual abuse material investigation.
Salmons was located, interviewed and arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigation. The KSP Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after discovering the suspect uploading sexually explicit images of juveniles to one of his social media accounts.
The investigation resulted in executing a search warrant at a residence in Leburn, KY on October 13, 2026. Equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination. The investigation is still ongoing.
Jared Salmons is currently charged with 17 counts of distributing matter portraying a minor under the age of 12 in a sexual performance. Distributing matter portraying a minor under the age of 12 in a sexual performance is a Class-C felony and is punishable by 5-10 years in prison. Mr. Salmons was lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail.
The Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is comprised of more than twenty-six local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The mission of the ICAC Task Force, created by the United States Department of Justice and administered by the Kentucky State Police, is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing a response to cyber enticement and child sexual abuse material investigations. This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention, and community education. The ICAC program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material, and the heightened online activity of predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.
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