A Hastings resident has been charged with multiple offenses related to child sexual abuse material, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
Court documents reveal that Hunter James Geidl, aged 27, was found in possession of a video file featuring a minor engaged in sexually explicit activities on May 19, 2022. Between July 29, 2022, and March 22, 2024, Geidl allegedly used minors for producing explicit video content.
Authorities suspect there could be additional victims linked to this case. They urge anyone whose minor dependents may have interacted with Hunter James Geidl to contact the FBI at their hotline or website.
The indictment includes three counts of production and attempted production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography against Geidl. He appeared initially in U.S. District Court on December 13, 2024. Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz ordered him to remain in custody pending further proceedings during his detention hearing today.
This investigation was carried out by the FBI with help from the Hastings Police Department as part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse and was launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to find and prosecute those exploiting children online while identifying and rescuing victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing is handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that an indictment is only an allegation; the defendant remains innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.