Robert Knuth, a 58-year-old former assistant chief of the Minot Rural Fire Department and former training director for the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association, was arrested in April 2026 on three felony charges tied to child sexual abuse material found on a work-issued phone. He pleaded not guilty in June 2026, and the investigation is ongoing.
The Charges Knuth Faces
Knuth is charged with two counts of use of a minor in a sexual performance and one count of possession of certain prohibited materials.
The two performance counts are Class A felonies under North Dakota Century Code § 12.1-27.2-02. Each carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.1North Dakota Legislative Branch. North Dakota Century Code Chapter 12.1-27.2 The possession count is a Class B felony with a maximum of 10 years and a $20,000 fine. A felony sexual offense conviction in North Dakota also requires five to ten years of supervised probation after any prison term.2North Dakota Legislative Branch. North Dakota Century Code Chapter 12.1-32 Special prosecutor Jeremy Ensrud said at Knuth’s initial appearance that additional charges could be filed.3KFYR-TV. Child Pornography Investigation Leads to Arrest of Minot Rural Fire Assistant Chief
How the Case Surfaced
The investigation began by accident. On March 26, 2026, a special agent with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation was reviewing a work cellphone as part of an unrelated fraud inquiry. The phone had been turned in after Knuth resigned from the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association in April 2025. During that review, the agent found suspected child sexual abuse material on the device.4KX Net. Robert Knuth Felony Charges CSAM5Minot Daily News. Rural Fire Chief Charged With Child Porn
According to an affidavit by BCI Special Agent Daniel Blood, investigators found 46 images of child sexual abuse material on the phone. Nineteen were screenshots taken during live video chat sessions with children as young as six who appeared to be of Asian descent, and the screenshots showed evidence of money transfers to individuals in the Philippines and Vietnam.3KFYR-TV. Child Pornography Investigation Leads to Arrest of Minot Rural Fire Assistant Chief5Minot Daily News. Rural Fire Chief Charged With Child Porn
What Investigators Say Knuth Told Them
On April 16, 2026, BCI agents, the Ward County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security executed a search warrant at Knuth’s home in Minot. They seized a second phone, and Knuth was taken into custody the same day.3KFYR-TV. Child Pornography Investigation Leads to Arrest of Minot Rural Fire Assistant Chief
Court documents say Knuth made several admissions in a subsequent interview. He allegedly told agents that he had paid two women, one in the Philippines and one in Vietnam, to have their children appear nude on live video chats.4KX Net. Robert Knuth Felony Charges CSAM He also allegedly admitted creating the 19 screenshots and using the encrypted messaging app Telegram to send money to an unknown user in exchange for access to a group chat where child sexual abuse material was shared.5Minot Daily News. Rural Fire Chief Charged With Child Porn
Where the Case Stands
Knuth appeared in North Central District Court on April 17, 2026, before Judge Todd Cresap, who set bond at $100,000 and ordered no unsupervised contact with minors and no access to electronic devices.5Minot Daily News. Rural Fire Chief Charged With Child Porn He retained private attorney Kyle Craig, posted bond, and was released on May 12, 2026.6KX Net. Former Minot Assistant Rural Fire Chief Posts $100K Bail in CSAM Case On June 18, 2026, he pleaded not guilty to all three charges and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. No future court date had been set as of that date, and prosecutors said the investigation was continuing.7KFYR-TV. Former Fire Official Pleads Not Guilty in Child Sex Crime Case
Removal From the Fire Service
Knuth had been in the Minot community for more than two decades, according to his attorney.3KFYR-TV. Child Pornography Investigation Leads to Arrest of Minot Rural Fire Assistant Chief As NDFA training director, he had overseen training and certification programs for firefighters across the state.8North Dakota Firefighter’s Association. 2022 Executive Annual Summary He resigned from that position in April 2025, about a year before the material was found on his work phone. The reason for that departure has not been publicly reported.4KX Net. Robert Knuth Felony Charges CSAM
The day after the arrest, Minot Rural Fire Department Chief Darrin Mineke said Knuth was “no longer serving in any capacity” with the department and that the department had not been involved in the investigation before the arrest.3KFYR-TV. Child Pornography Investigation Leads to Arrest of Minot Rural Fire Assistant Chief The North Dakota Firefighter’s Association confirmed Knuth had held no role there since April 2025 and called the allegations “deeply concerning and wholly inconsistent with the core values of the fire service.”5Minot Daily News. Rural Fire Chief Charged With Child Porn