Gainesville Man Sent to Suwannee Prison to Serve 20-Year Sentence for Child Sex Crimes

Disclaimer: This article contains graphic quotes from court documents describing Kerns' Kik chats. Viewer discretion is heavily advised.

In late July, Kolton Aaron Kerns, 27, was transferred to the Suwannee Correctional Institute Annex to serve a 20-year prison sentence for possessing child sexual abuse material. Kern's CSAM case came after additional charges for drugs and dating violence.

On April 15, 2025, at 5:45 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Garrett Worth conducted a traffic stop on a 29-year-old woman who was driving Kerns in the passenger seat. 

According to Worth, law enforcement databases showed that “the license plate was not assigned to any vehicle” and the driver left their lane before pulling into a ditch. The driver reportedly jumped out of the vehicle quickly and Worth commanded her to stand at the front of his patrol car. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) responded with backup units. 

When approaching the vehicle, Worth saw an unbelted passenger later identified as Kerns. Kerns was slumped over on the dash and the driver noted he was partying all night and drank too much. The driver was briefly able to wake Kerns up before he passed out again.

Worth went on to speak to the driver again, who he described as “continuing to be extremely nervous.” The driver reportedly said that Kerns was drinking and smoking cannabis and “advised she had just borrowed the vehicle and had no clue who it was.” 

Deputy Jared Kramme walked to the passenger seat to speak with Kerns. The Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) responded to the scene because of his present state. ACFR quickly advised that Kerns would be taken to the emergency room. As Kramme assisted Kerns to the ambulance, drug paraphernalia fell out of his hoodie pocket.  

Worth reported, “After locating the glass pipe on Kolton's person, I located a brown wallet sitting on the front passenger seat of the vehicle. In the wallet, I noticed the top of a small plastic baggie sticking out. As I opened the wallet, I noticed a Florida driver's license belonging to Kolton. Inside the wallet, there were two small plastic baggies one containing a white powdery substance (0.7 Grams) and one with a crystalline rock substance (0.7 Grams), [bag weight included]. From past training and experiences, I believed both baggies to contain the properties of Methamphetamines.”

The driver reportedly said she did not know what the substances were and advised the wallet belonged to Kerns.

Worth indicated that he would’ve arrested Kerns had he not been admitted into the hospital and submitted drug charges via sworn complaint. A warrant was not immediately issued and Kerns was not arrested after being discharged from the hospital, court records show.

On May 16, 2025, Kerns’ girlfriend (victim) contacted 911 to report a battery and firearm threats and said she was hiding in his residence. 

The victim disclosed that during an argument with Kerns, he threw her onto the floor and strangled her until she passed out. The victim reportedly awoke to Kerns punching her in the face and she attempted to defend herself, causing her to break her fingernails. 

At some point during the attack, Kerns reportedly bit the victim’s ear and placed his hands on a black handgun in his waistband while stating, “I’ll kill you.” In fear for her life, the victim fled to a closet and said she was calling the police, but Kerns fled the scene before police arrived, the arrest report states. 

Police described the victim’s physical state as consistent with being bitten, strangled, and in pain. 

The victim further disclosed that Kerns battered her on two other occasions during their ten-day visit with each other. 

On May 22, 2025, Kerns was arrested on a warrant for misdemeanor battery, domestic battery by strangulation and aggravated assault, and he has not left police custody since.

Since mid-to-late 2024, GPD had been investigating Kerns for CSAM, culminating in detectives Christopher King and Donna Montague confronting him at the Alachua County Jail after he was arrested on the dating violence charges. 

Throughout the investigation, police discovered Kerns had more than 50 images/videos identified as CSAM on his cellphone, in addition to 84 images/videos between his two Kik accounts. It’s unclear the approximate number of videos and images that are duplicates; numerous videos and images that were located on the Kik accounts were also found on Kerns’ phone.

Kerns’ Kik usernames were “delistatusx” and “nlfunnnyguy1.”

Police found deplorable chats Kerns sent in Kik groups where users “trade” CSAM with each other, in addition to chats where he talked about grotesque child sexual abuse fantasies with other individual Kik users.

Kerns went as far as to talk about incest/rape fantasies with specific younger family members and further talked about wanting to have a daughter for the purpose of sexually abusing her.

The police report further shows that Kerns engaged in sexually abusive conversations with users who identified themselves as minors, to include a presumed a 14-year-old and 17-year-old.

The chat transcript shows Kerns continued interacting with a user after they identified themselves as a 14-year-old boy. Kerns made sexually charged comments about the presumed child's naked body before stating he was "about to cum finally."

One of the chats shows Kerns texting the user "Shycouplefet," "Hey, saw you were wanking with your kids (; that's so fucking hot."

In another chat with the user "smokeduckling4," Kerns stated, "I fansisize about having throw away sluts of all ages just locked up only purpose to serve me n i just use them for whatever I want till they cant take it anymore like literally all the way then i can just throw her away n replace her with a new little slut if i end up killing her.."

Another chat transcript indicates Kerns distributed animal sexual abuse material to the user "zxyzgj."

"Didn't like it? :/" texted Kerns.

"Not animals," replied "zxyzgj."

Kerns said it was "just one" post and indicated it came from someone else. "It was random for him," said Kerns. "Zxyzgj" and Kerns then engaged in a sexually charged conversation surrounding "teens" and "loli." The chat transcript indicates Kerns sent CSAM to "Zxyzgj."

"Zxyzgj" identified himself as a 23-year-old male from North England.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Kerns didn’t make any statements about the CSAM, but did provide personal information that further ties him to the CSAM (emails and place of work).

After detectives referenced a video of Kerns’ masturbating and showed him the self-produced content, Kerns requested an attorney.

Detectives charged Kerns with ten counts of possessing CSAM, two counts of distributing CSAM, and one count of possessing animal sexual abuse material. 

On May 23, 2025, Deputy Mark Duggar responded to the Alachua County Jail in reference to drugs being found inside of Kerns. After first appearance that day, Kerns was searched and deputies uncovered “two clear plastic wrapped items” that were inside of his anus. 

Duggar indicated that the substance inside of the baggies was fentanyl. 

Kerns was charged with smuggling contraband into a detention facility. 

In November 2025, prosecutors dropped the dating violence case but they pursued the other cases.  

In April 2026, Kerns’ mother sent his attorney John A. Ramsey a message regarding her son’s mental evaluation.

Kerns’ mother outlined what she believes are several issues in the report, but said she is “in agreement with the diagnosis being a negative for Pedophilic Disorder and that the curiosity was driven by extreme drug use and a resulting altered mind.” 

Throughout the chats, Kerns referenced being sexually abused by his older step-brother. “He has never truly had any kind of therapy especially for the trauma he experienced at the age of 12,” his mother wrote. “The fact that she states that he alluded to the continued sexual relationship with the perpetrator as ‘experimental’ is concerning given her qualifications. Most, if not ALL, underage victims continue the ‘relationship’ either out of fear, pleasure, or curiosity because their mental state has been altered. I could go into all the ‘symptoms’ of early sexual abuse but that should be documented by the individual the judge will put trust into, i.e. the licensed evaluator. With that being neither here nor there, if she looked up the law, consent cannot be given at the age of 12 NO MATTER if the victim allowed the abuse. There is a reason for that law. Not only does rape cause irreparable psychological damage to an adult, it is utterly life changing for a child under the age of consent, which is the case with Kolton. There is also a plethora of evidence showing that an individual ceases to mature emotionally at the onset of hard drug use. Kolton has used drugs consistently since the age of 14 or so without reprieve. Add to that, the unresolved trauma of the rape at age 12 which fueled the drug abuse, it is only VERY OBVIOUS that we are dealing with a 27 year old with the emotional maturity of a teenager. Until those drugs are out of his system and his brain has adequate time to heal, will he be amenable to therapy for the sexual trauma he endured. Hence our repeated cries for intense therapy and rehabilitation for Kolton. He has the support. He has the intellect. He has the will. He just needs to be given the tools for success now that his mind is clear and the sexual trauma he endured at age 12 is now finally being discussed.”

Kerns’ mother said the evaluator, Dr. Jennifer Roher, did not endorse “any symptoms associated with trauma-related disorder” which she called "absolutely absurd.” 

In May 2026, Kerns wrote Judge Denise Ferrero a letter stating Ramsey was not providing him with adequate legal representation. Kerns said that Ramsey never took calls, only visited him a handful of times, did not talk to anyone speaking on his behalf, did not depose the lead investigator, did not provide medical records to the psychologist, nor examine them, and said he never received them despite emails showing otherwise. Kerns said that Ramsey made him feel like “just a fee collected” and that he is “begging for adequate counsel.” 

Ramsey made a motion to withdraw as Kerns’ counsel but Ferrero denied it. 

On June 22, 2026, Kerns entered into an open no-contest plea to 15 counts of possessing CSAM, two counts of distributing CSAM, one count of possessing animal sexual abuse material, one count of smugling contraband into a detention facility, one count of possessing a controlled substance and one count of possessing drug paraphernalia. 

Kerns faced a maximum sentence of over 350 years in prison and his lowest permissible sentence was roughly 18 ½ years.

There was not a negotiated plea agreement, court records show, and Ferrero had discretion over the number of years she imposed.

Ahead of sentencing, Kerns and his family members sent letters to Ferrero, and Ramsey made a motion for downward departure, which effectively asks the judge to go below the lowest permissible sentence. 

Kerns’ brother wrote that Kerns should “be placed in a facility that provides serious mental health, substance abuse and sexual abuse treatment,” instead of a “standard prison environment.” 

Kerns’ brother wrote that Kerns “has more drive to help other people than is actually healthy” and that he “finds struggling people and brings them into his life out of empathy before he is fully healed and ready to help others.” 

Kerns’ brother wrote, “I hate to speak on the actions he's actually being charged with, but as his brother I know exactly what was going through his head during those few of his lowest weeks, even if he did not consciously realize it at the time. He was subconsciously thinking, ‘What is the easiest, most immediately inconsequential, and self-destructive thing I could do from the safety of my home?' What he did, he did as an act of self-harm at the lowest point of his life, while under the influence. It was not planned or thought out it was a destructive impulse brought on by pain and substances. I know it's self-harm because of more than just how out of character he worded what he said in the worst messages. If I had any kind of mental health qualifications I would be able to explain better how I know this, but I'm not an expert so I can only use my intuition as someone who knows how he thinks. It's hard for me to speak at the stand. I believe he is still lying to himself about what happened in the past and even lying to himself about what he thinks of it. It’s a symptom of trauma and I don’t believe it’s something he can fix in a year or two.” 

Kerns’ mother wrote that a mental health/school guidance counselor who knew Kerns well wanted to speak with Ramsey and Roher but they were not of assistance. Kerns’ mother said the counselor believed Kerns’ actions were a result of “drug-induced psychosis brought on by the new drug he was experimenting with which kept him awake for 3-4 days at a time,” in combination with "unresolved sexual trauma he kept secret for over 12 years.”

Kerns’ mother indicated that she agrees with his brother’s feelings on the need for mental health/drug rehabilitation. But she wrote, “Unfortunately, it has been brought to my attention this past year, that Florida prisons do not offer those services and the prisons are riddled with drugs and violence towards those with [Sex Offender] charges. 

Kerns’ mother claimed that her son has “never laid a hand on another human being in his entire life,” which is consistent with the innocent-till-proven guilty standard but contrary to his ex-girlfriend’s disclosures/ physical injuries.

Kerns’ mother stated that she obtained the majority of her son’s medical records, but was unable to acquire records from the doctor who treated Kerns prior to him abusing drugs. Kerns’ mother said she was told that the records could only be released upon a court order. 

“At that time, I begged Mr. Ramsey to help me get them and he ignored my request,” she wrote. “I was finally able to get a hold of someone at that facility who told me that if I could get a notarized release from Kolton that they would release them to me. Once I got that, they told me the records had been destroyed because of the time that had lapsed since he had been treated. I was devastated and not completely convinced of their authenticity. So, I reached out to [the psychiatric evaluator] Dr. Rohrer to see if she could try to secure them. The response I got was that she didn't get paid to do that. With all that being said, the only records I was able to give Dr. Rohrer were more current records; all which document Kolton's drug use along with his extreme anxiety and depression. I understand why she concludes that his mental health issues are caused by his drug use. However, just because they co-morbidly exist, doesn't prove causation. I am here to shout from the rooftops that the drug use FOLLOWED the mental health struggles and is a result of them!”

“It is something we all want to never hear about or see again,” wrote Kerns’ mom. “It is truly traumatizing to us all, including Kolton.” She pleaded with Judge Ferrero, “Please we are literally begging you to consider all the circumstances leading up to those dreadful 3 weeks and the incredible remorse Kolton feels surrounding it all. Please take into consideration the underlying mental/emotional issues plaguing my son and help me to help him. He is a good man who would be such an asset to others harboring the same unresolved trauma and resulting drug abuse tendencies if given the opportunity for intensive treatment and the inevitable resulting success of such treatment. I encourage you to have a sincere conversation with him. I promise you will see what we all know and love.”

In his letter, Kerns said he is remorseful and blamed his actions on drug abuse/relapse and childhood abuse. Kerns stated that he “discovered” the “material” while in group chats and that he didn’t intend to seek it out when downloading Kik. 

Kerns said that around 6-8 months before his arrest, he “realized how horrible and wrong everything I was doing was” and he “separated” himself from the group chats/app. Kerns said the charges “surprised” him because they came 6-8 months later after he “moved on.” 

Seemingly referring the the CSAM that was on his phone, Kerns said, “anything that was left on my device was forgotten about and probably mixed in with the 20,000 photos and videos I had on my phone from just normal events in my life.” 

Kerns wrote that he “should’ve done the right thing and reported” what he saw and “knew what was going on on this app.” 

“It was truly everywhere” Kerns said, seemingly referring to the CSAM on Kik. 

Kerns called the “horrible stuff” he talked about “just talk” and said it “doesn’t reflect” who he is “as a person.” However, the chats strongly indicate he distributed and/or received harmful sexual material to/from a 14-year-old child which is an action; not "just talk."

He wrote, “I know these things do not excuse my actions but hopefully help show that this really was an isolated time period in my life. I’m ready to accept the help and rehabilitation I need and to show the court and everyone that I won’t be a risk in the future.”

Ferrero sentenced Kerns to 20 years in prison, just over the lowest permissible sentence, followed by 15 years of sex offender probation.

On July 1, 2026, Kerns was transferred into the custody of the Florida Department of Corrections. Towards the end of July, he was transferred to Suwannee Correctional Institute Annex. 

Kerns is currently scheduled to be released in 2045.