Kentucky State Police Assist with 114 arrests of child Internet predators

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch, which consists of 16 detectives and nine civilians, has, along with the Kentucky ICAC Task Force, responded to more than 3,000 cybercrime tips this year, leading to 707 completed investigations resulting in 114 arrests, which is an overall increase from 2019.

While the investigative unit handles a variety of cybercrimes, its members partner with the Task Force to protect the most vulnerable victims, Kentucky’s youth. The ICAC Task Force, which includes several law enforcement agencies, has received 3,137 cybercrime tips so far this year.

“I want to thank the dedicated detectives and staff of the KSP Electronic Crime Branch and the law enforcement agencies on the ICAC Task Force for being a member of Team Kentucky. The work they do day in and day out is hard, tough and at times can be emotionally draining, but they do important work for Kentucky’s youth to help provide a better and safer state for our children to grow up in,” said Gov. Andy Beshear.

A recent case investigated by KSP’s Electronic Crime Branch and ICAC Task Force involved Paige Cagle, a Lexington woman who was sentenced to 25 years for producing child pornography.

The investigation began last year when a Springfield, MO. man confessed that he received and possessed child pornography on his cell phone, having received images from Cagle over various messaging applications.

Through an intensive investigation, Cagle admitted she had sexually abused a young child and made videos of the abuse while in Joplin, MO, and three videos of the abuse while in Clark County, Ky.

She will serve 85 percent of her sentence and will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life upon her release.

“We are seeing predators using more sophisticated techniques to connect with young people online, and in some cases, they impersonate a youth around the victim’s age,” says KSP Lieutenant Mike Bowling. “Predators are using online games and social media messaging platforms to draw kids into sexually explicit conversations where they will eventually coach them to share inappropriate photos and videos of themselves.”

Bowling says not all tips lead to an arrest but that they take them all seriously. “Most of us who work in this branch are parents ourselves and I think that drives us to be more diligent. We know that every child is just a ‘click’ away from potentially falling prey to these criminals,” notes Bowling.

The KSP Electronic Crimes Branch would like to make parents aware one of the best resources they can utilize to help protect and educate their children from online predators is the Netsmartz website. The website has helpful resources, videos and tips for all ages available at no cost.

Citizens can report internet crimes against children confidentially by clicking here.

The ICAC Task Force Program is a national network ​of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 4,500 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. These agencies are continually engaged in proactive and reactive investigations and prosecutions of persons involved in child abuse and exploitation involving the internet.