JOHNSON COUNTY, KY MAN FILES APPEAL OF HIS FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE GIVEN AS PART OF HIS PLEA DEAL IN FEDERAL CHILD PORN CASE
CHILD PORN PERV SECRETLY RECORDED HIS WIFE’S UNDERAGE RELATIVE WHILE SHE SHOWERED AND CHANGED IN HOUSE BATHROOM
JUNE 9, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
A Johnson County, Kentucky man who pleaded guilty to producing child pornography for secretly recording a teenage girl while she showered and changed is now appealing the sentence he received.
Henry Jonathan Ritscher, 44, of Paintsville, KY., pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to producing child porn back in January. Last month, he was sentenced to twenty-five (25) years in prison.
On Thursday, that appeal was filed in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Henry Ritscher is barred from appealing his guilty plea or conviction, and he can only appeal his sentence.
During his sentencing, Henry Ritscher had objected to elements of his pre-sentencing report, including enhancements for abusing a position of trust, obstruction and engaging in a pattern of criminal sexual activity. Any of those objections could have reduced Henry Ritscher’s prison sentence if granted, but all were denied.
Henry Ritscher is currently being held in the Grayson County Detention Center, in Leitchfield, KY.
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PIKE COUNTY MAN SCHEDULED TO GO ON TRIAL IN CHILD RAPE CASE IN LATTER HALF OF JUNE
DEFENDANT ORIGINALLY INDICTED ON THE CHARGE IN AUGUST 2021, BUT CASE WAS DROPPED WITHOUT PREJUDICE IN NOVEMBER 2022 AT REQUEST OF VICTIM’S MOTHER; SEPARATE CASE UNDER INVESTIGATION INVOLVING POSSIBLE ALLEGED ABUSE OF ANOTHER CHILD
NATALIO F. RAMIREZ, 42, OF PKEVILLE, KENTUCKY: HE GOT AWAY WITH THE CHILD RAPE CHAGRE ORIGINALLY, BUT VIOLATION OF DEAL WITH PRSOECUTERS BRINGS THE CASE BACK TO LIFE (WITH MORE LEAGAL TROUBLE ON HIS HORIZON).
A Pike County, Kentucky man is currently set to go to trial on a child rape charge later this month.
Natalio F. Ramirez, 42, of Island Creek Road, of Pikeville, KY., was originally indicted on the charge in August of 2021, on one count of first-degree rape. He is accused of raping a child younger than 12, from December 2018 to September 2020.
The case was dismissed in November 2022, at the request of the child’s mother. Prosecutors were reluctant to dismiss the case, but agreed after the mother promised to keep her children away from Natalio Ramirez.
However in April 2025, due to the case conditions and without prejudice status (meaning the case could be filed again), the rape case was reinstated, after prosecutors learned, according to court filings, that Natalio Ramirez still had contact with the children and that he was being investigated for allegations of abusing another child. Results of that investigation are not available, but no additional charges have been filed against Natalio Ramirez at this time.
Natalio Ramirez is currently scheduled to go on trial June 22. However, the case could be delayed, as there is another trial scheduled for the same day before the same judge.
If convicted at his trial, Natalio Ramirez will face a sentence of twenty (20) to fifty (50) years or life in state prison.
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MAGOFFIN COUNTY, KENTUCKY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO RAPE, SODOMY, & SEXUAL ABUSE, BUT…..
A Magoffin County, Kentucky man has reached a plea deal that will see him plead guilty to rape, sodomy and sexual abuse, in exchange for having incest charges dropped.
Justin McCoy Caldwell, 35, of Salyersville, KY., entered a guilty plea to charges of third-degree rape, third-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse on Friday.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, prosecutors are asking that Justin Caldwell serve a three-year sentence and be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Justin Caldwell will be back in Magoffin County Circuit Court on Thursday, September 3, for his formal sentencing.
Justin Caldwell is currently being held in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center in Paintsville, after he was taken into custody on Friday, June 5.
