Nelson County Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

Louisville, KY - A Nelson County woman was sentenced on January 5, 2026, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography.

U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville made the announcement.

Kathlen Flener, 27, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a term of 30 years of supervised release, for two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distribution of child pornography. The Court ordered Flener to pay $6,000 in restitution, $3,000 to each victim.

Flener used an online social media application to distribute two sexually explicit images of the minor victims to an adult male living in Australia.

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Kentucky State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Yannelli prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/pscLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/pscLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. and click on the tab "resources."

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