A 23-year-old Pennsylvania man will spend the next two decades in federal prison after traveling across state lines to pick up a 14-year-old girl for a planned sexual encounter. Bailey Michael Stouter was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in a case that sparked a multi-state search and a federal investigation.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. Stouter pleaded guilty to charges of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor.
Along with his 20-year prison term, the court ordered a lifetime of supervised release and $3,000 in restitution to the victim.
Court documents reveal that Stouter first contacted the victim through a social media application. After communicating online, he drove from Pennsylvania to Bullitt County, Kentucky, where he picked the girl up from her home. His plan was to take her back to Pennsylvania for a sexual encounter.
READ: Boston Made It Impossible For Kids To Fail School Then Took Victory Lap When No One Failed
Following her disappearance, a missing person report was filed, triggering an intensive search. Authorities eventually located Stouter and the teenager several days later in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.
“Online predators are a plague,” U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said regarding the sentencing. “They manipulate, exploit and abuse our children. Law enforcement will leave no stone unturned in searching for these predators. The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute these deviants! Stouter’s deviance cost him 20 years in federal prison and his entire life on supervised release after he completes his 20-year sentence.”
Because there is no parole in the federal justice system, Stouter is expected to serve the full duration of his sentence. The FBI led the investigation with help from the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli handled the prosecution.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to pool federal, state, and local resources against child exploitation. The program focuses on apprehending those who target minors online and providing resources for victim rescue.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
