(LEX NEWS) — The Laurel County Sheriff's Office reported that 26-year-old Austin Hawk was sentenced to 165 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom imposed the sentence, according to the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office said that between September 25, 2022, and October 25, 2022, Hawk transported a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to the sheriff's office, he left Laurel County with the minor victim and took her on a month-long, cross-country road trip spanning 11 states, with the pair sleeping inside Hawk's car in parking lots.
The sheriff's office said Hawk admitted that during the trip, he engaged in sexual contact with the minor.
Under federal law, Hawk must serve 85% of his prison sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years.
The sheriff's office said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
According to the sheriff's office, the investigation was conducted by the FBI in conjunction with Laurel County Sheriff's Detective Sergeant and FBI Task Force Officer Taylor McDaniel, who is assigned to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
