Kentucky
Former Kentucky superintendent sentenced for sexually exploiting children
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.
Kentucky
Kentucky State Police accepting applications for Cadet Class 108; application deadline Oct. 15
Four people have died due to flooding from thunderstorms in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday, and he issued a state of emergency with additional rainfall expected.
Flash flood warnings were in effect Saturday for parts of Kentucky and Indiana amid heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency late Saturday afternoon said between 4 and 10 inches of rain had already fallen in some parts of southwestern Indiana, with more possible.
Beshear’s office said up to 7 inches of rain were expected in parts of his state through the late evening.
He said on social media that three people had died in Madison County and one in Jackson County due to flooding.
“This is a serious flooding event, where teams have already had to conduct multiple water rescues from vehicles and homes across the commonwealth,” he said in a statement. “As more heavy rain continues through late tonight, we need folks to remain alert and to avoid driving, especially after dark when there is limited visibility.”
Beshear said there were “significant roads underwater” in Madison County, with search and rescue teams sent to that region. He also said at least 12 state roads were “out of commission” because they were flooded.
In northwestern Kentucky, just outside Louisville, Bullitt County emergency management officials asked residents of a rural road to evacuate as a precaution after a landslide at a dam embankment. The dam was holding and there was no indication of imminent failure, they said.
The area saw about 3 inches of rain in the past two days, according to the National Weather Service.
Kentucky
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