Vicco man pleads guilty in federal sex trafficking case, faces ATV death charges

Noah Back, 26, of Vicco pleaded guilty in federal court on May 1 to transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual activity, a charge that carries a possible sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for September 2026.

That federal case is separate from the state murder case Back faces in Perry County over the fatal ATV/UTV crash that killed 16-year-old Emilynn Clark. Back was arrested March 21 and charged with murder on a theory that his actions showed extreme indifference to human life. On March 31, a cash bond was set at $176,550, and he was ordered not to contact minors, Clark’s family, the teen driver, or use social media.

The crash happened Feb. 28 on Oakwood Avenue in Vicco, about 12 miles east of Hazard, when four people were riding in Back’s vehicle: two 16-year-old girls and two adult men. Authorities said the vehicle went over a hill and down an embankment. Clark, a sophomore at Perry County Central High School, died at the scene. The teen driver was charged with DUI, and Perry County Sheriff Joe Engle said investigators suspected alcohol played a role. Clark’s autopsy reportedly found she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of her death.

The federal investigation grew out of the crash and then focused on an alleged relationship between Back and the surviving 16-year-old girl. Court documents said the girl told agents the relationship began when she was in middle school, when she was 14, and included ongoing communication and travel. A screenshot described in an affidavit said Back was in his late 20s and pursued younger girls. Records also allege that Back transported the minor outside Kentucky, including trips to Georgia and to his college home in Lexington, where investigators say he initiated sexual intercourse and filmed it.

A search warrant for Back’s phone was issued March 3, and Engle said the device would be analyzed in a separate investigation from the crash. FOX 56 also reported Back had worked as a volunteer basketball coach at Perry County Schools and that his mother was the school principal.

After Clark’s death, her uncle Scottie Clark organized a GoFundMe for funeral expenses. By May 10, the fundraiser had raised more than $12,400 toward a $14,000 goal. Perry County Central High School said counselors would be available for students and staff and asked the community to keep the family and others involved in their thoughts and prayers. The state murder case tied to the crash remains pending.