Ogden, Utah — A northern Utah man was arrested on Monday after allegedly sharing child sex abuse material through the messaging app Kik.
Ned Brady Hansen, 54, was taken into custody on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each a second-degree felony. According to court documents, Hansen’s Kik account was used to distribute explicit content on eight separate occasions in November 2024.
The investigation began when Kik submitted a CyberTipline report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the illicit material. In response, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, working under the Utah Attorney General’s Office, initiated an investigation into Hansen’s account. Authorities soon identified an email address linked to Hansen’s Kik account, which was also associated with a home construction and renovation business owned by him. Further investigation revealed that Hansen’s name, phone number, and a matching IP address connected to the email and Kik account.
The investigation led to a search warrant being issued, and on January 27, 2025, detectives with the Brigham City Police Department executed the warrant at Hansen’s residence in Box Elder County. At the time of his arrest, Hansen was the only person at the home. He was booked into the Box Elder County Jail on multiple charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.
The case underscores the critical role of technology companies and law enforcement agencies in combatting the distribution of child exploitation material. Authorities have not yet commented on whether Hansen has obtained legal representation.
The investigation is ongoing.