Office of the Attorney General
Harlan County Man Found Guilty in Child Pornography Case

Attorney General Jack Conway today announced the sentencing of a Harlan County man for possession and distribution of child pornography.  A Harlan Circuit Court jury on May 9, 2012 found 26-year-old Clarence Curtis, of Evarts, guilty on two counts of distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and 13 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. The jury is recommending a 15-year prison sentence for Curtis.

The Office of Harlan County Commonwealth’s Attorney Henry Johnson handled the prosecution of the case. The charges against Curtis are the result of an undercover investigation by Attorney General Conway’s Cybercrimes Unit that began on April 13, 2010.

“I am proud of the work my Cybercrimes investigators do every day to make the Internet a safer place for Kentucky kids,” General Conway said. “I also appreciate the assistance we received in this matter from the Harlan County Sheriff’s Department and local prosecutors.”

Curtis will be formally sentenced on July 19, 2012 at 9 a.m.

Since its creation in June of 2008, General Conway’s Cybercrimes Unit has launched nearly 270 child pornography investigations and seized more than 300,000 child pornographic images and videos from the Internet.  The unit is also a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

For additional information on cybersafety in Kentucky, visit General Conway’s Cybersafety Page at http://ag.ky.gov/cybersafety/ . To report cyber abuse, visit the CyberTipline or call 1-800-843-5678.