Elliot County man sentenced to 100 years for child exploitation

ASHLAND, Ky. – An Elliot County man is facing a 100-year sentence for child exploitation.

Ronald Stinespring, 51, pled guilty to three counts of using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct, one count of possession of material containing sexually explicit images of minors and one count of obstruction of justice.

Officials say the investigation of the case started when a young girl knocked on a stranger’s door in Elliot County. The girl was dirty and malnourished, according to officials.

Officials say the girl told police she and two other girls were repeatedly physically and sexually abused by Stinespring.

She said she had not left Stinespring’s property in over two years.

The girl said to law enforcement she had faced several types of abuse, including being made to sit on rocks for extended periods, being tied up, having water poured over her and being shocked with a stun gun on multiple parts of her body, according to officials.

When police approached the residence, officials say they believed the property had rudimentary roadblocks of logs and downed trees lying across the path.

Officials also stated they had located a fetal doppler, pregnancy tests and birth control pills within the residence.

Stinespring’s residence also contained electronic devices with sexually explicit pictures and videos of the victims, at times when some or all were minors, according to officials.

While he was incarcerated, Stinespring allegedly wrote a letter to a victim. Officials say he tried to coerce her to take responsibility for the crime. The letter was written in a code, which was broken.

Stinespring pled guilty to the charges in May 2022.

“The victims in this case suffered unspeakable mental, physical and sexual abuse,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States attorney for the eastern district of Kentucky. “Even in the context of child exploitation and abuse, the conduct was remarkable. Three young people were extensively and callously abused, over the course of years. While his conduct was truly appalling, fortunately, the sentence he must now serve is noteworthy.  It is our hope that will assist the victims in their recovery from the abuse, provide them with some measure of justice and prevent him from ever endangering other young victims again.”

Under federal law, Stinespring must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will remain under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for the remainder of his life.