A Kenton County man will remain in prison after the Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld his conviction on 20 felony counts of possessing child sexual exploitation material.
The Kentucky Attorney General's office announced the ruling Aug. 25. Kevin Master, 33, received a 10-year sentence in 2020 after Kentucky State Police found child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.
The case began in October 2019, when federal law enforcement and state police intercepted a child sex doll being shipped from China to Master's home. Investigators obtained a search warrant, citing concerns about additional child exploitation. During a search of Master's residence, troopers seized electronic devices containing the illegal material, leading to 20 felony charges.
Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders prosecuted the case. Master pleaded guilty to 20 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, each a Class D felony, but reserved the right to appeal whether the child sex doll gave investigators probable cause to search his devices.
The Court of Appeals ruled it did, upholding the legality of the investigation, the search warrant and the conviction.
"Kenton County is blazing new trails to protect Kentucky's children, but we couldn't do so without our partners at the Office of the Attorney General, and we certainly appreciate their tremendous efforts," Sanders said.
Attorney General Russell Coleman said in a statement that "this predator will remain behind bars as a direct result of the outstanding work of Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders and Kentucky law enforcement." Assistant Attorney General Courtney Hightower argued the case before the appeals court on behalf of the state.
The Master investigation helped spur 2024 legislation led by State Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, and Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, that outlawed possession of child sex dolls and AI-generated child sexual abuse material in Kentucky. Sanders worked with both legislators on the bill to give prosecutors new tools against child exploitation, according to Kentucky Today.
No indication of a further appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court has been announced.
Residents who suspect child exploitation can submit tips to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org or contact Kentucky State Police.
