ICE investigation leads to more than 13 years in federal prison for Washington State man convicted of coercing and sexually exploiting a minor online

EUGENE, Ore. — Brandon Kuper, 22, of Tacoma, Washington was sentenced to 165 months in federal prison and 10 years' supervised release, Feb. 25, for using social media to coerce a minor into sending him sexually explicit materials and engage in self-harm, following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement partner investigation.

According to court documents, in November 2022, Kuper messaged a minor through Discord and Snapchat, two social media messaging applications, in attempts to develop a relationship. Kuper coerced the victim into producing and sending him sexually explicit photos and videos, including sadistic and masochistic conduct. When the victim denied some of Kuper's requests, he threatened to harm the victim and victim's family if his demands were not met. Kuper continued to make threats and demands until the victim bravely reported Kuper to their parents and then law enforcement.

“Through his use of popular social media platforms, Kerr sought to manipulate and exploit vulnerable minors for his own depraved desires,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy. “Fortunately, the bravery of the victim in coming forward to their parents and law enforcement helped put an end to this individual’s predatory behavior. ICE is committed to investigating and dismantling online predators who use digital platforms to exploit children. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners, and we will continue to prioritize the safety of minors both online and offline.”

Investigators learned that Kuper used Discord and Snapchat to find and convince minors to produce and send him sexually explicit material. In several instances, Kuper asked his victims to cut his social media username "Merqzs" into their skin, photograph it, and send him the photos. Investigators also found revenge pornography that Kuper created and posted of at least one other victim that did not comply with his demands. On Nov. 10, 2022, Kuper was arrested in Tacoma and remains in custody.

On Nov. 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Kuper with production of child pornography and enticing a minor.

On Nov. 20, 2024, Kuper pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.

This case was investigated by ICE with assistance from the Bend Police Department and Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Digital Forensics Laboratory. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact ICE at 866-347-2423. You may also report a suspected incident of online child exploitation to the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline at https://report.cybertip.org.

About Know2Protect

Know2Protect is a national public awareness campaign led by the Department of Homeland Security, dedicated to educating individuals and families about the risks of online child sexual exploitation and providing actionable steps to prevent, report, and combat these crimes. The campaign focuses on equipping parents, caregivers, and communities with resources to protect children in the digital space.

For more information, please visit Know2Protect.gov or follow @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X.

Know2Protect (K2P) is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. K2P’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent, combat, and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit our YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on the DHS main channel. Additional resources are available at know2protect.gov and @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X.