Tompkinsville Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor

Bowling Green, KY - A Tompkinsville, Kentucky, man was sentenced this week to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for attempted online enticement of a minor.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Robert Holman of the United States Secret Service, and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.

"I commend the work of AUSA Rabold during the prosecution of this case as well as the outstanding investigative effort by the Secret Service and HSI," stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. "Removing would be predators from our communities is key to keeping them safe for our most vulnerable citizens."

According to court documents, Matthew Warren Burkhard, 36, was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted online enticement of a minor. Burkhard communicated with an undercover law enforcement agent he believed to be a 14-year-old female, and, during those communications, he knowingly attempted to entice the minor to engage in criminal sexual activity by exchanging sexually explicit images and making plans to meet in person for sexual contact.

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the USSS and HSI Bowling Green.

Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney's Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

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