PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A former Martin County postal worker has been sentenced to 35 years in prison, after he admitted coercing teens to send him explicit photos and videos.

Dustin Newsome, 35, of Debord, pleaded guilty in September to one count of coercing minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct and one count of possessing child porn.

The case came to investigators’ attention in August, when a parent reported finding THC vape cartridges in her son’s room. When the son was questioned, he admitted to obtaining the cartridges, alcohol, a cellphone and other items of value from a mail carrier, later identified as Newsome, in exchange for sending him explicit pictures and videos.

As the investigation progressed, police learned that a total of nine boys ranging in age from 12 to 16 were providing Newsome with pictures and videos in exchange for THC vapes, alcohol, money and video game currency.

When police raided Newsome’s home, they found recordings of at least four of the boys, as well as hundreds of child porn pictures and videos.

In court on Friday, he was given a 35-year prison sentence and ordered to pay the victims $105,000 in restitution.