Unsealed Search Warrants Reveal Woodford County Child Pornography Investigation

Two weeks ago, an LEX 18 News crew was there as detectives searched the Woodford County Coroner's office. Tonight, LEX 18 News has learned the search was related to child pornography. A Judge has unsealed documents that show what state police found that day in James Ward's home and office.

LEX 18 Obtained three separate search warrants; one for the Blackburn and Ward Funeral Home, one for the residence of Mr. Ward, and one for the Woodford County Coroner's Office. All three searches were executed on October 14th. A closer look at the fine print reveals a reason for the searches.

Kentucky State Police detectives met with Woodford County's Deputy Coroner, Danny Owens, on October 12th. Owens provided police with a copy of a CD-R that contained images of young naked girls, some believed to be in the age range of 8 to 11 years old. The warrants say Owens found the disk in the computer of Woodford County Coroner James Ward while he was in Florida. Owens also told police that Ward would read him excerpts from a journal that Ward removed from a case, where a now deceased person had sexual relationships with young children and animals.

The documents show that when police searched the home of Mr. Ward, they confiscated digital cameras, memory cards, computer towers, CDs, DVDs, a laptop, and a cell phone. When they searched the Coroner's office, they took a wire notebook, dozens of CDs and DVDs, zip disks, computer drives and a camera. The documents do not tell what the electronic media contained.

LEX 18 contacted Blackburn and Ward Funeral Home. A representative there declined comment.

State Police will only say that this is an ongoing investigation, and that no charges have been filed against the Coroner.

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