Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 15 years for sex exploitation of children

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man, who solicited sexually explicit videos from minors by sending them gift cards gifts, was sentenced last week to more than 15 years in federal prison.

Andrew Kyte, 53, previously pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of sexual exploitation of children.

According to evidence, Kyte received child pornography from 2017 until 2019 on two electronic devices. He would send minors gift cards to encourage them to make sexually explicit videos and send those to him.

He also used a “hidden spy camera” to secretly record a minor, according to court documents. Six minor victims were awarded restitution based on Kyte’s criminal conduct.

U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Kyte to 240 months in prison and five years of supervised release following his prison term. He also ordered Kyte to pay $24,000 in restitution to six victims.

Kyte remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending being taken to a federal prison.

This case was prosecuted by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Liz Dupuich, now a 6th Judicial District judge, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Cole and investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

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