Former Kentucky Superintendent Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Sexual Exploitation
Matthew D. Constant, the former superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The charges, which include online enticement, receipt of child pornography, and sexual exploitation, stem from disturbing acts committed between 2019 and 2023 involving three separate minor victims.
Constant was first arrested in July 2023 following a federal investigation that began earlier that year. In May 2023, the Kentucky State Police informed the Owensboro Board of Education about the ongoing investigation, prompting officials to suspend Constant with pay. That status changed to unpaid suspension in June 2023, as the scope of the allegations became clear.
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment against Constant in August 2024, charging him with multiple felonies including the transfer of obscene material to a minor. He remained in custody throughout the legal process and formally entered his guilty plea in February 2025.
The Department of Justice emphasized that Constant used his position of trust and authority within the school system to target and exploit vulnerable minors. His sentencing hearing, held in May 2025, concluded with a 30-year prison term, with no possibility of parole under the federal system.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Owensboro community and beyond, raising serious concerns about the safety protocols and background checks within educational institutions. Owensboro Public Schools has since launched a review of its hiring and reporting procedures to prevent such abuses in the future.
This case is not isolated. In recent years, Kentucky has seen multiple prosecutions involving educators and school staff engaged in similar criminal conduct. In 2024, Patrick Brady, a former Anderson County band director, was sentenced to 25 years for producing child pornography involving a student. Similarly, Kevin Lentz, a former Fayette County High School teacher, received a 30-year sentence for producing and possessing child pornography discovered on a victim’s phone.
Federal authorities stress the importance of ongoing vigilance and cooperation between schools, law enforcement, and community members in identifying and stopping child predators. They continue to urge anyone with information related to child exploitation to report it immediately through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or local authorities.
Matthew Constant’s conviction is seen as a landmark case, both for the severity of the sentence and the breach of public trust it represents. His 30-year sentence serves as a stark reminder of the consequences for those who exploit positions of authority to harm children.
