CONCORD, N.H. — An Exeter man was sentenced in federal court Nov. 18 in connection with the possession of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and detectives from the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Nathan Kohler, 41, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. Kohler was also ordered to pay $21,000 in restitution to the victims of his offense. On July 8, 2024, Kohler pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
“Kohler admitted that he had been downloading child sexual abuse material at his home for years. The children depicted in these images were victimized at the time the photos were taken and victimized again every time they are distributed. HSI works tirelessly with our partners to ensure those who trade in these horrific images are brought to justice,” said HSI New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol.
“The actions of the defendant fuel the demand for the horrific sexual abuse of children and results in life-long suffering for those victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Those who would seek out on the internet these images documenting the pain and abuse of a child are on notice. They will be found, prosecuted, and incarcerated.”
On Jan. 2, 2023, and again on Feb. 14, 2023, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force’s BitTorrent software identified a target IP address making CSAM available for download through the peer-to-peer network BitTorrent. Further investigation identified the defendant’s residence in Exeter, New Hampshire as the subscriber of the target IP address.
On April 5, 2023, HSI special agents executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence. During that search, law enforcement seized a Dell laptop computer from the defendant’s bedroom, containing approximately 2,000 images of CSAM and two video files. Numerous images depicted prepubescent minors, or minors who had not attained 12 years of age as well as sadistic or masochistic conduct.
During an interview with HSI special agents, the defendant admitted that he was the individual who has been using the internet in the residence to download CSAM and has been engaged in such activity for a number of years. The defendant stated that he used his laptop computer which was located in his bedroom to access CSAM.
HSI New England’s Manchester Resident Agent in Charge office led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Exeter Police Department.
HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.
Report suspected child exploitation to the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.
Follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSINewEngland to learn more about HSI’s global missions and operations.