Man, 41, Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Child Pornography

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An Elk River man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for possession of child pornography.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Friday that 41-year-old John Edwin Kuhnel was convicted in January.

He was accused of having more than 33,000 images and videos depicting sexual conduct involving minors, all while under supervision for a previous criminal sexual conduct conviction.

"Despite the many challenges this past year has presented, my office has not lost sight of our commitment to bringing child predators to justice. Prosecuting cases involving child exploitation remains a top priority," U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald said.