A northern Nevada man is facing federal charges after a grand jury indicted him on allegations of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, with a trial now scheduled for December 15. Zachary Steven Stockinger appeared in federal court on Thursday in connection with the case, and prosecutors say there will be no room for leniency given the nature of the allegations.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada, the indictment alleges that Stockinger distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material involving children younger than 12 years old. A separate report from 2 News describes the alleged conduct as occurring from June 5 to June 30, 2006.
Stockinger has been charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to US Attorney Nevada
, which announced the indictment on social media, tagging FBI Las Vegas and referencing Project Safe Childhood. KOLO TV reported the same two counts following Stockinger's Thursday court appearance.
Trial Date Set for Mid-December
A trial in the case has been scheduled for December 15, 2026, per the same 2 News report. If convicted, Stockinger faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years, the station reported, citing the potential sentencing range tied to the federal charges.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah addressed the case directly, saying, “There is absolutely no room for leniency when it comes to the exploitation of children,” according to KOLO TV's report on the court appearance.
Investigation Involved Federal and Tribal Law Enforcement
The U.S. Attorney's Office referenced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
That same Project Safe Childhood framework has been cited in other Nevada cases, including a separate indictment involving attempted child sexual exploitation and receipt of child sexual abuse material, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The initiative reflects a broader, ongoing federal effort to coordinate local, state, and federal resources against child exploitation crimes nationwide.
The specifics of the evidence against him remain tied to the allegations outlined in the indictment. The December trial date will determine how the case moves forward.
