A Kings Mountain, Kentucky man has been sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison for transporting a minor across state lines with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. Zackary Keith Jones, 35, received a sentence of 194 months from U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom.
According to court documents, Jones transported a minor from North Carolina to Lincoln County, Kentucky. He used Snapchat to communicate with the victim and misrepresented his age in order to persuade the victim into illegal sexual conduct. The plea agreement states that Jones engaged in sexual acts and contact with the minor during and after their travel. The minor had been reported missing from North Carolina on December 8, 2023, and was found by law enforcement on December 25, 2023, hidden in a compartment at Jones’ residence.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, Jones will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison term before becoming eligible for release. After serving his sentence, he will be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for two decades.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Louisville Field Office; Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General; and Sheriff Shawn Hines of Lincoln County jointly announced the sentencing.
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple agencies including the FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. David Dalton, Commonwealth Attorney for the 28th Judicial Circuit provided significant assistance during both investigation and prosecution phases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton represented the government.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood—an initiative started by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at combating child exploitation online by coordinating resources among federal, state and local authorities. More information about this initiative can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
