Soldier pretends to be a woman to get minors to produce child pornography

TOPEKA, KAN. - A U.S. Army Soldier stationed in Kansas was sentenced to 40 years in prison for coaxing minors into producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, Bebak Gurung, 22, of Fort Riley pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor- production of child pornography.

In 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) received information that a minor in New York had been victimized through various online messaging platforms and provided with saved communications between the victim and the perpetrator as evidence. During an investigation, FBI agents determined that Gurung had instructed the minor to produce videos while engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At the time Gurung was stationed at Fort Riley and agents determined he was on the installation while communicating with the victim. While executing a search warrant in the barracks, agents seized several of Gurung's electronic devices where they found CSAM and evidence that led to the discovery of another minor victim in Kansas.

"Mr. Gurung lied to his to victims about being a female to more easily gain their trust, which is why we must teach our children that not everyone online is who they say they are, particularly online," said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. "Fortunately, parents were willing to report this crime to the proper authorities so that his actions could be exposed and ultimately stopped."

"Protecting children from online predators remains a priority for the FBI. Those who exploit our children for sexual gratification will be identified, investigated, and held accountable for their actions," said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod. "The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners will not stop in pursuing these offenders, to ensure our most vulnerable are protected from those who prey on them and are brought to justice."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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