Trans YouTube star charged over possession of child sex abuse images

Kadence Kristine Pinder, formerly Nelson Christopher Pinder, of Sandy, Utah, is charged with 15 second-degree felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for downloading and possessing more than a hundred child sexual abuse photos. The Utah Attorney General's Office accuses the 24 year-old of having sexual content featuring boys as young as three or four years old.

Pinder's long-time boyfriend, Marcus Poll Strebel, 29, is also facing 10 second-degree felony counts for the same charge.

The investigation began in December 2019 when Google alerted authorities to suspected child pornographic material that was allegedly uploaded by the suspects, according to the probable cause statement. When questioned by investigators about the illegal content found on her electronic devices, Pinder told law enforcement that she thought that the children in the images were over the age of consent. The two maintained in separate interviews that they may have downloaded the content "by accident" while browsing Tumblr for adult pornography.

The couple at first agreed to police searching their phones but then later refused, prompting detectives to execute search warrants, ABC4 reported.

Pinder and Strebel both work at a child care center owned by Strebel's mother. Strebel's mother declined to comment on the allegations when reached by phone.

Pinder was also the subject of a previous Division of Child and Family Services investigation into an alleged "hands-on" sexual offense against a child, but the case was dropped for unknown reasons.

Before working with children, Pinder was a popular trans YouTuber who documented her transition in numerous videos that attracted hundreds of thousands of views. She also has an inactive OnlyFans adult content page, although it’s not clear if she had ever uploaded content for subscribers.

In 2017, Pinder made headlines in LGBT media when she said she was raped during a casting session for a gay pornographic project.

Pinder and Strebel are being held at Salt Lake County Jail without bond ahead of their next court hearing, according to inmate records. They are also facing unrelated misdemeanor shoplifting charges.