41-year-old Kenneth Lee Willett (Source: Greenville Police Department)
GREENVILLE, Texas - A Greenville, Texas man was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to charges involving the continuous trafficking of a child and the possession of child pornography.
Texas man sentenced
Kenneth Lee Willett, 41, entered the plea agreement in the 196th District Court. Under the terms of the deal, Willett received a 30-year sentence for continuous trafficking of persons and a 20-year sentence for possession or promotion of child pornography. The sentences will run concurrently.
The backstory:
The investigation into Willett began in July 2024 after the Greenville Police Department received multiple "cyber tips" from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities said the tips flagged Willett for promoting child sexual abuse material across several social media platforms.
Following his arrest in August 2024, investigators conducted a forensic examination of Willett’s seized cellular phone. The search revealed evidence that Willett was facilitating the prostitution of a child from neighboring Van Zandt County.
According to police, Willett used social media applications to solicit men for sexual encounters with the victim and arranged transportation for the child to Greenville to engage in prostitution.
What's next:
Willett had been held at the Hunt County Detention Center since his indictment in November 2024. Due to the nature of the trafficking charge, he will serve the entirety of his 30-year term without the chance of early release.
Greenville is located in Northeast Texas approximately 50 miles northeast of Dallas and 30 miles west of Sulphur Springs.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Greenville Police Department.