Teacher who wanted sex with a KY 14-year-old gets prison

An Indiana high school teacher who came to Kentucky to have sex with a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Cody Sean McCormick, 28, also will be under court supervision for the rest of his life after being released from prison.

The case started last October when an undercover officer posing as a teen girl put an ad on Whisper, a social media site, and McCormick responded, according to court records.

McCormick was a social studies teacher at a high school in Evansville at the time.

McCormick told the undercover officer that hanging out with her sounded risky and “probably a little illegal,” but he discussed engaging in sex acts with her, according to an affidavit from Bo Alexander, a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service who took part in the investigation.

McCormick also sent images of marijuana and sex toys to the person he thought was a teen girl.

At one point when the officer said she was 14, McCormick said that was too young and “with this app you’re probably law enforcement so have a great evening officers,” according to the affidavit.

But when the officer denied being in law enforcement and said good-bye, McCormick responded with a peace sign emoji and kept communicating.

McCormick sent a graphic photo of himself and arranged to come to Owensboro to meet the person he thought was 14, according to court records.

Police arrested him when he arrived.

McCormick pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor, traveling across state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

The advisory sentencing guideline for McCormick called for a minimum sentence of 10 years and one month.

The government agreed to a sentence of one month less as part of a deal for McCormick to admit he committed statutory rape of a 13-year-old female family member in 2018, according to a sentencing memorandum from Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness.

Police investigated at the time but the charges were dropped for lack of evidence, according to the memo.

The victim in that case has suffered mental and emotional hardships, and McCormick’s admission will provide her a measure of closure and validation, the memo said.

McCormick won’t face state charges for the rape.

The Secret Service, Kentucky State Police, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and the Owensboro Police Department took part in the investigation that led to charges against McCormick.

The U.S. Department of Justice has links to internet safety resources.