Perry County Murder Suspect Now Faces Federal Child Sex Charges

Noah Back, 26, of Vicco, was already charged with murder when federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint this week alleging he transported a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, deepening one of the most closely watched cases in Perry County in recent memory.

The federal charge stems from an investigation into Back's alleged sexual relationship with the 16-year-old girl who survived the Feb. 28 UTV crash in the Vicco area that killed 16-year-old Emilynn Clark. Deputies who responded to that crash found four occupants: two adult males and two teenage girls. Clark died from her injuries. Back was arrested March 21 and charged with murder, with that case referred to a Perry County grand jury.

The federal investigation took shape after a forensic interview at the Care Cottage Child Advocacy Center on March 12 and a subsequent review of social media posts. Investigators say messages obtained during that inquiry describe a relationship that began when the surviving girl was 14 years old and in the eighth grade. Court documents reference travel to Atlanta for a concert as the specific interstate conduct forming the basis of the federal charge: transporting a person under 18 in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Back has been held without bond since his March 21 arrest. The federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court creates a second and parallel legal track; if convicted federally, any resulting sentence would run in addition to potential penalties from the state murder case.

The school connections attached to Back's name have amplified the community's reaction. Allegations surfaced that he served as a volunteer basketball coach in Perry County Schools and that his mother worked as a school principal, details that focused sharp attention on how adults with access to students are vetted and monitored.

Local law enforcement and the Care Cottage forwarded evidence to federal agents after the forensic interview raised red flags about interstate travel and the victim's age at the time the relationship allegedly began. Both the state grand jury process and federal court proceedings remain active and are expected to generate further filings in the weeks ahead.