TOPEKA, Kan. — A 26-year-old U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Riley was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for coercing minors into producing child sexual abuse material, federal prosecutors announced.
Bebak Gurung, of Fort Riley, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor involving the production of child pornography, according to court documents.
The investigation began in 2025 after the FBI received information that a minor in New York had been sexually exploited through online messaging platforms. Investigators obtained saved communications between the victim and the perpetrator.
FBI agents determined that Gurung had instructed the minor to record videos depicting sexually explicit conduct.
Investigators also established that Gurung was stationed at Fort Riley and had communicated with the victim while on the military installation.
During a search of Gurung’s barracks, federal agents seized several electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material. Evidence recovered from the devices led investigators to identify a second minor victim in Kansas.
Federal prosecutors said Gurung had falsely presented himself as a female to gain the victims’ trust.
“Mr. Gurung lied to his two victims about being a female to more easily gain their trust, which is why we must teach our children that not everyone is who they say they are, particularly online,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said. “Fortunately, parents were willing to report this crime to the proper authorities so that his actions could be exposed and ultimately stopped.”