A former Kentucky superintendent was sentenced May 7 at the federal courthouse in Owensboro on charges related to sexual exploitation of children.

U.S. District Court Judge Greg N. Stivers sentenced Matthew D. Constant, the former Owensboro Public Schools superintendent, to 30 years in prison, followed by a lifetime supervised release for:

• Two counts of online enticement of a minor
• Three counts of receipt of child pornography
• Two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor
• Two counts of transferring obscene material to a minor

Court records state Constant “knowingly received child pornography” on or about Dec. 3, 2019. The nine charges span events from that day until April 26, 2023.

Constant, who served as superintendent in Owensboro from 2020 to May 2023, was arrested by Kentucky State Police in July 2023 after KSP received a tip about an inappropriate relationship between the school administrator and a student.

Owenboro’s Board of Education voted unanimously in June 2023 to suspend Constant without pay, then began to terminate his contract “for conduct unbecoming of a superintendent,” according to the Owensboro Times.

While criminal charges had not yet been filed in June 2023, the school board told the Owensboro Times it had been informed by police that Constant “did engage in a relationship with an adult-aged student enrolled in another school district.”

A grand jury indicted Constant in August 2024 on charges related to three separate minors. The case was quickly sealed under state law.

Court records show it was unsealed within a week, while Constant was being held in the Henderson County Detention Center. On Aug. 22, 2024, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to a court order.

Due a protective order brought forward by U.S. Attorney Michael Bennett and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, many of the details of the case remain under seal.

Constant withdrew his guilty plea on Feb. 11, instead pleading guilty to all counts. He did not enter a plea agreement, according to court records.

A sentencing memorandum filed May 5 and written by his attorney, Bryce L. Caldwell, states: “Mr. Constant makes no excuses for his actions and fully accepts the consequences of his catastrophic, illegal choices.”

Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports reporter, with a focus on the health and safety of athletes. She can be reached at skuzydym@courier-journal.com. Follow her for updates at @stephkuzy.