A Kalamazoo man has been sentenced to 420 months in federal prison for sexually exploiting and coercing a minor. Samuel Alexander Kuhl, 33, was convicted of engaging in an illegal sexual relationship with a fourteen-year-old girl over approximately 18 months after initially contacting her on Facebook. U.S. District Judge Beckering described Kuhl’s actions as showing a “pattern of angry, defiant, vindictive behavior” and “disregard for the rule of law.”
During this period, Kuhl physically, emotionally, and psychologically abused the victim. He also attempted to involve her in group sexual activity and threatened her and her family with a firearm when she refused. Kuhl persuaded the victim to produce child pornography for him. In June, a jury found Kuhl guilty of two federal offenses related to these activities.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey stated: “Sam Kuhl devoted his adult life to crime, and part of his criminal lifestyle included tracking down adolescent girls to sexually exploit. My office will never tolerate child exploitation and when it happens, we will bring the people involved to justice. Kuhl earned the sentence he received yesterday.”
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office said: “Heinous and predatory acts against any child deserve severe punishment and serious consequences. The actions of this predator included physical, emotional, and psychological abuse and manipulation of a teenager, and I am sincerely grateful for the work of my team at the FBI Kalamazoo Resident Agency, alongside the Wyoming Police Department, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police for bringing this violator to justice. Their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, along with that of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, clearly demonstrates our joint commitment to doing everything possible to keep our children safe in Michigan.”
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Wyoming Police Department. Additional support came from Indiana State Police, Michigan State Police, and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/PSC.
