A Billings man, Kole David Kuntz, aged 41, appeared for arraignment on charges related to the distribution of child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Kuntz entered a plea of not guilty to charges outlined in an indictment that accuses him of two counts related to the distribution of child pornography. Upon conviction, these charges could result in a sentence ranging from five to twenty years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and a period of supervised release from five years to a lifetime.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Tim Cavan presided over the proceedings, and Kuntz was released pending further legal actions. The indictment claims that in November 2024, Kuntz distributed visual materials involving minors in sexually explicit conduct, utilizing digital means that crossed state lines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus is handling the prosecution, and the FBI conducted the investigation leading to Kuntz's arrest. The case is part of a broader initiative called Project Safe Childhood, established by the Department of Justice to address child sexual exploitation. This initiative seeks to better coordinate federal, state, and local efforts in identifying and prosecuting online child exploitation offenses.
It is emphasized that the charges against Kuntz are not proof of guilt. The legal process will continue to determine the outcome based on evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.
For those interested, details and documents related to this case can be followed through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system, where instructions for access are provided at http://www.pacer.gov/register.html and https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl, respectively.