The Caldwell County Grand Jury this week indicted four Princeton men on child pornography and criminal abuse offenses.
A true bill was returned on 39-year old Micky Kyle Johnson on charges of procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means, first-degree solicitation of unlawful transaction with a minor (illegal sex act under 16), and distribution of obscene material to minors.
Johnson was arrested by Princeton Police on a complaint warrant in March following an investigation that Assistant Chief Shane Allison reported began on January 20th after Johnson allegedly sent inappropriate messages to a minor over social media.
51-year old Tommy Hall was indicted on seven counts of distribution of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12, and twenty counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12. He was also indicted on charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun, receiving stolen property – a firearm, no operator’s license, and other vehicle registration and insurance-related offenses.
According to the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch, Hall was arrested in March following an investigation after it was discovered he was sharing images of child exploitation online. The investigation reportedly resulted in a search warrant at a residence in Princeton, where state police said equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination.
A no-true bill was also returned on Hill, which means the grand jury did not find enough evidence to charge Hall with two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
A true bill was returned on Duane J. Hieber on charges of one count of first-degree rape, one count of first-degree sodomy and one count of distribution of obscene materials to minors.
According to the indictment, between August 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020, Hieber is accused of “engaging in sexual intercourse with another person who was incapable of consent because she was less than 12 years old, as well as sending obscene material to a minor.
And 34-year old Brandon E. Hughes of Princeton was indicted on one count of first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or under. On or about November 4, 2022, according to the indictment, Hughes is accused of intentionally abusing a child under the age of 12 that he has custody of and caused serious physical injury.
Princeton Police Chief Chris King reported Hughes was arrested on the indictment around 9:45 Thursday morning and lodged in the Caldwell County Jail under a $7,500 bond. He said the incident was investigated by the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.
