Former Hickory Firefighter Gets 7 Years Federal Prison Time In Child Pornography Case

Charlotte: 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. He was sentenced on Tuesday in Federal Court.

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 intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

Kurzak was employed by the city of Hickory as a firefighter at the time of his arrest. He was placed on administrative leave the day after the arrest and fired a week later. Kurzak was hired in July of 2022