“No Such Thing as a Victimless Image” Fonder Sentenced in Child Exploitation Case

Under Nevada law, it is a felony to knowingly create, promote, or share material depicting a minor engaged in or simulating sexual acts, or displaying private body parts. A child's appearance in a sexual image is sufficient to meet the threshold for exploitation.

Fonder was arrested on Mar. 13, 2025, and initially charged with 56 counts of exploitation of children and using technology to lure a child. He later accepted a plea agreement dropping 52 counts, with a provision barring additional charges related to the case.

At the Aug. 19 hearing, Judge Stockard admitted four sealed video files into evidence and stated the court was in possession of the Pre-Sentence Investigation and results from Fonder's Psychosexual Risk Assessment, which indicated a moderately high risk to reoffend. Stockard closed the court to review the highly sensitive exhibits, also allowing Foder to leave the courtroom at the request of his attorney, Churchill County Public Defender Jacob Sommer. 

When court resumed, Chief Deputy District Attorney Lane Mills said the case began in Orange County, Florida, where an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old boy contacted Fonder in a Kick group — an online platform used to share child pornography. Mills said Fonder was the group's administrator and helped disseminate content linked to an unrelated child pornography series in Sacramento. A warrant was issued, and a search of Fonder's home followed.

Mills told the court Fonder admitted he was addicted to child pornography and had regularly sent and received illegal material.

"We have a defendant here who says that he is not attracted to prepubescent children," Mills said, "That he only keeps the child pornography of prepubescent children to trade." He questioned the evaluation's conclusion that there was insufficient data to determine whether Fonder met the clinical criteria for pedophilia.

Mills said the sheer volume of material Fonder possessed and distributed "is a risk to our society. This is the kind of depraved material that affects anybody it is sent to or who's seen it." 

He emphasized the far-reaching impact of Fonder's conduct. "Fonder created victims, created defendants, created demand for this kind of material by sharing and distributing it… I'm not sure we can even quantify the damage this does to our society… in the people portrayed in this every time it is shared. These are unknown children. But this is damaging. And Your Honor, we need to protect society."

It is critical to understand the uniquely devastating nature of child exploitation crimes. Unlike other offenses, the harm does not end when the abuse stops. Psychological research shows that each time an explicit image is shared or viewed, the victim is forced to relive the original trauma, enduring the emotional and psychological impact again and again.

In her evaluation, Dr. Hixon-Brenenstall wrote, "He [Fonder] put forward effort and spent time and money, such cost and effort involved in purchasing multiple cell phones so he could create new accounts and resume the inappropriate activity after his Kick accounts were banned."  Fonder stated he would "never do this in reality; that this is just a fantasy he has. "But then why would he go and be talking to an undercover officer who has purported himself to be fourteen years old?" Mills asked.

"This is not just a Nevada problem," Mills argued, "This case touched from coast to coast. And we need to protect our children… and society from Mr. Fonder." 

"These are grave, serious, and reprehensible crimes," said Churchill County Public Defender Jacob Sommer. "We do not ask the court—Mr. Fonder does not ask the court—to pretend otherwise. There's no minimizing the harm that this type of conduct creates. And there's no such thing as a victimless crime in this situation. Every image represents real harm."  

Sommer said the justice system requires "more than condemnation." He urged the court to impose a sentence grounded in reason, measured judgment, and free from passion or vengeance. 

He noted that Fonder accepted responsibility early, was honest with investigators, and expressed remorse. "A willingness to admit guilt on the part of Mr. Fonder shows that he understands the wrongfulness of his conduct and that he wants to begin the process of change."

Aside from one misdemeanor, Fonder had no prior criminal record. "The law also requires and recognizes the possibility for reformation and change," said Sommer. "We must consider not only the seriousness of crime, but also the humanity and the potential of the person who is seated right next to me. Structured treatment, counseling, and supervision can help Mr. Fonder address the factors that led him to be here, while also protecting the public."

Sommer said the consequences for Fonder extend far beyond incarceration. "Prison is not the only punishment he will receive. Society will punish him every single day after he's released. My client has chosen responsibility over denial… I ask the court to impose a sentence that reflects both of those important principles."

Fonder told the court, "I know I made a terrible choice, and I need to pay for my choices as this goes on. And there's nothing I can really say to change it or fix it... I'm sorry." 

Judge Stockard said he had considered the psychosexual evaluation and found Fonder eligible for probation on all four counts. However, after some time of consideration, Stockard imposed three consecutive sentences of 60–120 months on Counts I, II, and III for preparing and distributing child pornography. On Count IV, possession of child pornography, Fonder was sentenced to 24–60 months for a total sentence of 204–576 months in the Nevada State Prison. He will be subject to lifetime sex offender registration upon release.