Former KY teacher found with thousands of child porn files sentenced to prison
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- Brian Hinds pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution and one of possession.
- Hinds was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison and 15 years of probation.
- Investigators found 3,326 images and 65 videos of child pornography on Hinds’s phone.
A former Kentucky high school teacher who was found with thousands of child pornography files on his phone was sentenced to prison on Thursday, May 21, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Kentucky.
Brian Hinds, 52, pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography Jan. 22. On Thursday, he was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by a 15-year term of probation, according to prosecutors.
Hinds is a former theater teacher at DuPont Manual High School’s Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, according to the attorney’s office. He was caught with 3,326 images and 65 videos of child porn on his phone after an investigation involving an undercover FBI agent.
On Aug. 18, 2025, Hinds began messaging with the undercover agent on Telegram. Court documents say Hinds initiated the conversation and shared multiple child porn files with the agent.
Hinds also shared an image of the lower half of his face and told the agent he was a 50-year-old high school teacher from Kentucky, according to court documents.
On Oct. 9, 2025, Hinds was pulled over after investigators obtained a warrant to search his home. He consented to an interview during the traffic stop and admitted to sharing child porn with five to six people and looking at child porn for the last 30 years, according to court documents.
None of the files on Hinds’ phone involved any Manual students, according to prosecutors. Still, United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said Hinds’ actions were “particularly disturbing.”
“Outwardly, Hinds appeared to dedicate his life to educating and helping children but under the cloak of darkness and perceived anonymity he was disgustingly betraying his profession and the public’s trust by distributing disgusting child sexual abuse materials,” Bumgarner said in a news release. “Hinds has earned every last minute of his 151 month sentence.”
Hinds is also ordered to pay $26,500 in restitution to the victims, according to the attorney’s office.
