MARTIN COUNTY, KY. MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED IN 2021 CHILD PORN CASE NOW FACING ADDITIONAL CHARGES VIA NEW FEDERAL INDICTMENT
PROSECUTORS REVEAL IN NEW INDICTMENT OF A POTENTIAL SECOND SUSPECT WHO COULD FACE CHARGES
JANUARY 28, 2023 – written by WADE QUEEN
Donald York Jr., 60, of Beauty, KY., was charged back in June 2022 with two counts of producing child porn and one count of distributing it. Now, with a superseding indictment handed down on Thursday, January 26, he faces two additional counts of producing and one additional count of distributing.
Federal prosecutors say the new charges came about following the discovery of new evidence. In a surprise development statement, according to the prosecutors, the new evidence revealed that there is a possibility that a second individual could receive charges in this same case.
Donald York Jr. was initially accused of coercing a girl in engaging in sexual activity that he recorded. All of the charges are alleged to have taken place in 2019 and 2020.
The case against Donald York had been scheduled to go to trial next month, but now that will likely be delayed.
After Donald York Jr. was initially arrested by the Kentucky State Police on August 6, 2021; on the charges of:
- RAPE, 1ST DEGREE,
- UNLAWFUL TRANSACTION WITH A MINOR, 1ST OFFENSE – ILLEGAL CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, UNDER/18 YEARS OF AGE,
- UNLAWFUL TRANSACTION WITH A MINOR 2ND DEGREE,
- POSSESS/VIEW MATTER PORTRAY SEXUAL PERFORMANCE BY MINOR;
and was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention in Paintsville in Johnson County; Donald York Jr. was transferred by U.S. Marshals to the Pike County Detention in Pikeville, KY. on June 11, 2022, where he has been remaining held in custody.
The child porn production charges carry a potential federal prison sentence of between 15 years to up to 30 years while the child porn distribution charges carry a potential federal prison sentence of 5 years to up to 20 years.
