A former Hickory firefighter will spend seven years in prison for a federal child pornography charge. After his prison sentence, he will be on supervised release for 20 years.

Nate Eli Kurzak, 22, of Hickory, pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors in February, according to court records. He was sentenced on Tuesday, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson.

Kurzak was initially arrested by the Hickory Police Department on 10 counts of second-degree exploitation and 10 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation in October 2023. In May 2024, Kurzak was indicted on federal charges of distribution of child pornography and possession and access with

See Full Page