Billings man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of distributing child pornography admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Kole David Kuntz, 41, pleaded guilty to 2 counts of distribution of child pornography. With respect to each count, Kuntz faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years to 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $35,000 special assessment, a $5,000 special assessment, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later date. Kuntz was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on November 16, 2024, law enforcement created an undercover online persona on a social media site posing as an adult male with a minor daughter. Soon after establishing the account, another account, later attributed to the defendant, reached out and inquired about the fictious daughter.

The conversations became increasingly sexual and, for example, when the defendant learned the “daughter” was 12 years of age, he indicated that he “could have a lot of fun with her.”

On November 21, 2024, the defendant recommended they switch to a more secure application and both parties did so. Then, to ensure that he was “serious,” the defendant sent a roughly 45-second video of a female, aged between 12 and 14 years of age, removing her swimsuit and exposing her vagina to the camera. Then, on November 22, 2024, and after additional communications during which the defendant indicated that “6-14 is the money range I think,” he distributed a roughly 56-second video of a minor female performing oral sex on an adult.

Law enforcement connected the communication to the defendant and a search warrant for his residence in Billings was executed. A subsequent review of his electronic media led to the discovery of the communications referenced above.

The defendant was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted that he was the individual referenced in the communications above and that he previously shared images and videos.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

XXX