Former North East Resident Indicted on Child Exploitation Charges

Department of Justice

ERIE, PA — A former resident of North East, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, according to an announcement made by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan on Wednesday.

Kurt Bryan Schultz, 54, is the sole defendant named in the two-count indictment. The charges allege that Schultz received images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors around September 6, 2020. In addition, Schultz is accused of possessing and accessing child sexual abuse material with intent to view in and around the same period.

If found guilty, Schultz could face a total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 60 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. As per the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would consider the seriousness of the offenses and any prior criminal history of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold will be prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Erie County Detectives Bureau.

As with all legal proceedings, it’s important to bear in mind that an indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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