Hickory Man Given 50 Years In Federal Prison For “Horrendous Torture Of Babies”

A Hickory man has been sentenced to a half-century in prison for what the sentencing judge described as the “horrendous torture of babies.” 64-year-old Kelly Lee Setzer was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Tuesday for producing and transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

In addition to the prison term imposed, Setzer was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison. Setzer was ordered to pay $84,000 in restitution. The Court also ordered forfeiture of, among other things, Setzer’s primary residence in Hickory, where he produced and transported the sexual abuse materials. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Bryan Adams of the Hickory Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

According to filed documents and the sentencing hearing, on November 3, 2023, officers with the Hickory Police Department executed a search warrant at Setzer’s residence for suspected CSAM activity. The officers seized two computers and other electronic devices from the residence. A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed that on at least four occasions Setzer sexually abused a prepubescent child and produced videos depicting the abuse. Setzer also possessed an extensive CSAM library that contained over 48,000 videos and images of children being sexually abused, some as young as infants and toddlers.

During the investigation, law enforcement also determined that Setzer had developed an online relationship with a minor and had induced the minor to send him CSAM on multiple occasions. Setzer pleaded guilty to four counts of production, one count of transportation, and one count of possession and access with intent to distribute child pornography. He remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and the Hickory Police Department investigated the case.