The Comics Journal

“Kutzner led dual lives. On one hand, he was a respected middle school teacher who led a responsible, crime-free life and, undoubtedly was a positive influence in the lives of many students. […] But in his secret life, he intentionally sought out sexually exploitive material involving young children for purposes of sexual gratification.”

- Government Sentencing Memorandum, U.S.A. v. Steven Kutzner

(c) Nonrequired Element of Offense. — It is not a required element of any offense under this section that the minor depicted actually exist. -Title 18 U.S.C. 1466A

In 2010, Steven Kutzner was working as a science teacher at Lake Hazel Middle School in Boise, Idaho. A year later, Kutzner’s in prison, where he is sentenced to remain for the next 15 months. That’s the temporary part. For the rest of his life he will be a sexual criminal in the eyes of his community. He will never start over. He will not work or volunteer with minors of any age, nor will he “reside or loiter within 300 feet of schoolyards, parks, playgrounds, arcades or other places primarily used by children under the age of 18.” Kutzner has joined the ranks of his fellow citizens Christopher Handley and Dwight Worley, all three punished for possessing visual depictions of fictional crimes against fictional characters.