Federal Complaint Details Allegations Involving Minor After Fatal Perry Crash

MANCHESTER — A Perry County man is facing a serious federal charge following an investigation that began after a fatal UTV crash involving two minors, with court documents outlining disturbing allegations of an ongoing sexual relationship with an underage girl.

A criminal complaint filed March 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky charges Noah Back, 26, with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. 

According to a sworn affidavit from an FBI special agent, the case stems from a February 28, 2026 crash in the Vicco area of Perry County. The UTV involved in the crash carried four occupants, including two 16-year-old females. One of the minors died as a result of the crash, while the other survived and later became central to the investigation. 

In the aftermath, investigators began reviewing social media posts that alleged Back had been involved in a relationship with the surviving minor. Those claims led to a federal investigation that uncovered what authorities describe as a pattern of grooming and sexual exploitation.

According to the affidavit, Back — who served as a volunteer basketball coach at Perry County schools — first contacted the minor through social media when she was in the eighth grade. The minor told investigators she believed Back was much younger at the time and did not initially know his true age. 

During a forensic interview conducted March 12 at the Care Cottage Child Advocacy Center in Hazard, the minor reported that the relationship turned sexual when she was 14 years old and that he was 27.

On March 12, 2026, the FBI conducted a child adolescent forensic interview and it was disclosed by a victim that Back first contacted her on Snapchat when she was in the 8^th grade.  Back’s mother was principal of the school and she knew he was older and thought he was about 20.  She said Back later filmed them having sexual intercourse at his home where he attended college in Lexington.  Investigators allege Back picked her up in Perry County and transported her to Lexington, where sexual activity occurred.

The affidavit further alleges Back recorded sexual encounters with the minor on multiple occasions and transferred those recordings through social media platforms for later viewing. 

Federal investigators also detailed trips in which Back allegedly transported the minor across state lines, including a trip to Atlanta, Georgia, in October 2024. The trip, described as part of a birthday celebration, included hotel stays and a concert, during which sexual activity again allegedly occurred. The minor was 14 at the time, according to the affidavit. He again recorded sexual intercourse with the minor.

A second trip to Atlanta reportedly took place the following year, when the minor was still underage, with similar allegations of sexual activity. Investigators noted a 10-year age difference between Back and the minor. 

The federal charge carries significant penalties, as the statute prohibits knowingly transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in illegal sexual activity.

The affidavit, submitted by FBI Special Agent Matthew T. Haynes, states there is probable cause to believe Back committed the offense. 

Back is set for a preliminary hearing in U.S. Federal Court in London on Thursday, April 9^th.