Sauk Centre gets long prison term for luring girls to make porn

At sentencing, Judge Nancy Brasel noted that his predatory actions are “the nightmare that every parent thinks of when they think of online behavior involving their children.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune
July 11, 2024 at 2:12PM

A central Minnesota man has received a prison term topping 19 years for coercing at least eight minors over social media to produce sexually explicit images.

Shawn Norbert Kulzer, 32, of Sauk Centre was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to 19 years and seven months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to production and attempted production of child pornography.

At sentencing, Judge Nancy Brasel noted that Kulzer’s predatory actions are “the nightmare that every parent thinks of when they think of online behavior involving their children.”

According to court documents:

Kulzer connected on Snapchat with a teenage girl on Jan. 2, 2023, and pressured her to send him nude photos. In his plea agreement, he admitted he lured a second teenage girl in the same manner.

While out of custody on bond as his case proceeded, Kulzer used the same tactic to victimize six more minors.

“At last estimate, there were approximately 32,000 image and video files, many of which contain suspected child sexual abuse material” tied to Kulzer, read one government court document filed in late June.

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Paul Walsh

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Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota.

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