Iowa Man Sentenced to Over Six Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

 Received Over 1,000 Images and Videos of Child Pornography, Some Containing Depictions of Prepubescent Girls Involved in Sex Acts with Adults and Animals

A man who received child pornography was sentenced today to over six years in federal prison.

Shawn Kuhse, age 37, of Wadena, Iowa, received the sentence after a March 13, 2020 guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.  In a plea agreement, Kuhse admitted that between October 2018 and April 2019 he received child pornography.  Kuhse admitted he used a messaging app on his phone to receive child pornography from other users of the app.

Information disclosed at sentencing showed that Kuhse received over 700 images and 300 videos containing child pornography.  The child pornography contained images of prepubescent girls involved in sex acts with adult men, adult women, and animals.  Kuhse’s sentence was increased because the child pornography he received depicted sadistic, masochistic, or violent conduct.

Kuhse was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Kuhse was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment.  Kuhse must also serve a five-year term of supervised release, and he must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.