PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A Martin County man has pleaded guilty to federal child porn charges, after admitting to coercing teens to send him explicit videos. Dustin Newsome, 35, of Debord, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for child porn and one count of possessing child porn. The case came to investigators’ attention in August, when a parent reported finding THC vape cartridges in her son’s room. When the son was questioned, he admitted to obtaining the cartridges, alcohol, a cellphone and other items of value from a mail carrier, later identified […]

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Two school districts in Eastern Kentucky report investigating worrisome statements made by students, but have concluded there is no danger to anyone following an investigation. Paintsville Independent Schools Supt. Thomas Salyer sent a letter to parents reporting that Paintsville High School administrators had learned Monday that one of their students had sent a text to another student, threatening to bring a gun to school and cause harm. The school district reported the incident to Paintsville Police, which investigated and concluded that there was no credible threat to students or staff. However, police placed additional officers in and around the school […]

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LOUISA, Ky. — A former union officer has been charged with embezzling thousands of dollars from the union over a period of three-and-a-half years. Michael Wayne Nelson, of Louisa, served as secretary and treasurer for the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Local 496. In a federal indictment handed down Thursday, Nelson is accused of writing union checks totaling more than $35,000 to himself from December of 2017 to June of 2021. He is now charged with union embezzlement, check forgery and identity theft. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, as well as repayment of […]

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LOUISA, Ky. — A Lawrence County man has been arrested after police were tipped off to child porn activity. State troopers obtained a search warrant for the home of Michael Hudnall, 50, of Louisa, after they received a report that an explicit image of a child younger than 12 had been uploaded from his account on the messaging app Kik. Hudnall provided police with access to two tablets and a cellphone, telling officers they contained pornography, including bestiality. A search of the devices turned up the child sexual abuse material that prompted the search. When a trooper informed Hudnall that […]

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LOGAN, W.Va. — A Pike County man was killed Friday evening in a coal mining accident in Logan County. Gary Chapman, 33, of South Williamson, died when a roof collapsed at Arch Resources’ Mountaineer 2 Mine near Logan. “When we lose a miner, it’s not just a loss for the community, but a loss for the entire State of West Virginia,” West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said in a statement Friday night. “Mr. Chapman’s loss is a powerful reminder that we should always have a deep gratitude for every one of our coal miners.” The incident remains under investigation.

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