S. Lane Tucker, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office District of Alaska
An Eielson Airman, Kyle Cozens, was sentenced to five years in prison for paying to receive child pornography. He will also serve 15 years on supervised release. The sentencing follows an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Cozens, 32, stationed at Eielson Air Force Base, was interviewed by the FBI on November 7, 2023, in connection with a case from Illinois involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). During this interview, agents found CSAM images on his phone and later obtained a search warrant. This led to the discovery of multiple CSAM images and videos depicting prepubescent females.
On March 1, 2024, law enforcement searched Cozens' residence and seized over 30 electronic devices. They identified more than 80 videos and over 680 images of child sexual abuse on these devices. Cozens pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography on November 15, 2024.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn R. Vogel for the District of Alaska stated: "The widespread dissemination of images of children forced to endure sexual abuse is a horrific crime that law enforcement fights every day. Mr. Cozens contributed to the revictimization of those children by paying for visuals of child sexual abuse."
Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office added: "The defendant purchased and possessed large amounts of CSAM, directly contributing to online child exploitation and the re-victimization of young children."
Special Agent Tyler Pierson from Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 632 emphasized the importance of interagency partnerships in fighting child exploitation: "AFOSI is committed to these partnerships and our mission of protecting the Department of the Air Force from criminal behavior that threatens the mission, equipment and people."
The case was investigated by various agencies including the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Fairbanks Resident Agency with assistance from other offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.
