Terence Lorenzo Clemons, a 52-year-old Lexington resident and former County Extension Agent, was sentenced on April 23 to 25 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for the production of child pornography.
The case highlights the risks when individuals in positions of trust exploit their roles to harm minors. Clemons used his leadership position within Bath County’s 4-H programs to gain access to a minor victim, initiating contact through text messages and social media before requesting sexually explicit material via livestreaming and images. According to court documents, Clemons began this relationship with the minor in April 2024 and engaged in at least one instance of physical contact during a program event.
During sentencing, the court stressed that such offenses are extremely serious and emphasized that abuse by those entrusted with children will not be tolerated. Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said, “This defendant held a position of trust and exploited that position in order to prey on the vulnerability of a child. That betrayal strikes at the very core of our communities, where parents and families should be able to trust those entrusted with mentoring and guiding young people. We remain committed to holding accountable anyone who abuses that trust and to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect children from exploitation and harm.”
Under federal law, Clemons must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for release. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be supervised by U.S. Probation Office for twenty years.
The sentence was announced by representatives from multiple agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Kentucky State Police (KSP), Madison County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Parman himself. The investigation involved HSI, KSP, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office; Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices under the Department of Justice—to combat child sexual exploitation online since its launch in May 2006 (official website). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District enforces federal laws—including criminal prosecutions—and works with local agencies on community safety issues like elder abuse prevention (according to its official website). It also addresses drug abuse prevention through initiatives such as Heroin Education Action Team (according to its official website).
The office has historic roots dating back to the Judiciary Act of 1789 (according to its official website), serving eastern Kentucky through partnerships designed both for enforcement and public education.
