COVINGTON, Ky — Kenton Circuit Judge in Covington, Kentucky, Kate Molloy, sentenced Bennett Couch to the maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison on May 1, according to a Facebook post from the Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney page.

According to the post, Couch’s lawyer had asked the court for probation. They argued that Couch had taken responsibility for the crime, felt great embarrassment, and had apologized to “himself.”

In February of this year, Couch pleaded guilty to three counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor, three counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor, and one count of Sexual Crimes Against an Animal.

Detective Brian Jones with the Kenton County Police Department received a Cyber Tip Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in July of 2021. The tip said that three images of child sexual abuse material depicting prepubescent females were uploaded by a specific Tumblr account. During the investigation Det. Jones identified the account as belonging to Bennett Couch of Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky.

Det. Jones obtained the contents of the reported Tumblr account, and confirmed the three images reported by MCMEC had been “reblogged” by Couch on Tumblr, according to the post. Det. Jones also determined Couch shared additional images with captions expressing a sexual interest in children. Also found were images with content or captions depicting bestiality.

Det. Jones also searched Couch’s SnapChat account while conducting a forensic examination of Couch’s cell phone. Review of the SnapChat account discovered photos and videos of Couch engaging in a sexual act with an animal, identified as belonging to Couch’s mother.

Couch was indicted by the Kenton County Grand Jury in November 2021.

Emily Arnzen, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, refused to make any plea offers in the case. On February 2, 2022 Couch pled guilty, while the court heard testimony from Det. Jones and saw the evidence that was located on the Defendant’s electronics and social media account.

During cross examination, Couch’s attorney implied that the images of the child sexual abuse material shared by the defendant did not depict abuse of any child. Det. Jones immediately responded that any child being exploited by being photographed nude is being actively abused.

Arnzen stressed this point by stating that no one questions the trauma a child is going through after being subjected to sexual assault, but less acknowledged is the trauma the child suffers from the knowledge that the assault was documented or recorded for other to see.

The post also states that Arnzen said the case was particularly disturbing because Couch started to act on deviant sexual interests by engaging in a sexual act with an animal. Arnzen said that because Couch started to act on these interests with an animal, a child would likely have been next.

Upon release from prison Couch must register for life as a sexual offender.

(Video in the story shows the top stories for Thursday, May 4, 2023)