Former Kentucky state employee sentenced to 13 years in prison for downloading child pornography while at work

LONDON, Ky. — A former state employee was sentenced Thursday to 13 years in federal prison after previously admitting to downloading child pornography images at work from the Internet.

This sentence was announced by Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jack Conway, Kentucky Attorney General; and Gary Hartwig, special agent-in charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Gordon Bowers, 51, was sentenced June 18 by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 13 years in prison for receiving child pornography. Under federal law, Bowers must serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence. Following his release from prison he will remain under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years.

Judge Van Tatehove also ordered Bowers to pay $35,000 in restitution to multiple victims for costs associated with psychological counseling services.

According to Bowers’ plea agreement, in February 2014 law enforcement identified several child pornography images and videos online. Authorities traced the source of the images to a computer at the London State Office Building. Agents executed a search warrant at Bowers’ office and found over 40,000 images of child pornography on his state-issued computer and other electronic storage devices. These images depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Bowers pleaded guilty in January. He was formerly employed with the state of Kentucky as an environmental scientist.

This investigation was conducted by the Office of the Kentucky Attorney General and HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Coffey prosecuted this case on behalf of the federal government.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.