Mercer County man convicted of child sex trafficking in federal court

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — A Harrodsburg man has been convicted on federal charges of child sex trafficking following a two-day trial in Lexington.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, a federal jury found 42-year-old Larry Coffman guilty Tuesday of two counts of sex trafficking of children and committing a felony involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender.

Jurors returned the verdict after just 45 minutes of deliberation.

The release says testimony during the trial revealed that in February 2023, Coffman solicited and enticed two minors to engage in sex acts in exchange for something of value. At the time, Coffman was already a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction.

Coffman is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025. He faces a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison. The final sentence will be determined based on federal sentencing guidelines and statutes.

According to the release, the case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.