Mountain Iron Man Faces Nine Felony Counts After Snapchat Tip Exposed Child Exploitation
A Snapchat tip to federal child safety officials unraveled into nine felony charges against Kade Louis Schott, 24, of Mountain Iron, who allegedly messaged girls as young as 12.
Kade Louis Schott, a 24-year-old Mountain Iron man, was arrested by the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office on nine felony counts after a Snapchat report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children set off an interstate investigation connecting Minnesota to Illinois.
The case began when Snapchat received what investigators described as "information pertaining to apparent child exploitation" and forwarded the report to the NCMEC. The center's follow-up identified an alleged victim living in Illinois, and Illinois law enforcement then contacted the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, which identified Schott as the suspect.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Schott's Mountain Iron apartment on a Friday, placed him under arrest, and attempted to interview him. He quickly requested a lawyer. Schott was subsequently arraigned in State District Court on eight counts of engaging in electronic communication relating to sexual conduct with a child and one count of distributing sexually explicit material to a child. He is also scheduled for an initial appearance in late March 2026.
The allegations are extensive. According to charging reports, Schott had explicit Snapchat conversations with at least eight girls, some as young as 12. In the messages, he allegedly stated he desires younger girls, even acknowledging, "I know it's bad." In one exchange with a victim, he wrote, "We would just have to figure out how to sneak you out," indicating an attempt to arrange a physical meeting.
St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey said Schott faces a presumptive prison sentence if convicted. His prior criminal record appears limited to a misdemeanor impaired driving offense.
Anyone who may have been a victim or has information related to this case can contact the following local resources. First Witness Child Advocacy Center in Duluth can be reached at 218-727-8353. The Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault serves southern St. Louis County with a 24/7 hotline at 218-726-1931. The Sexual Assault Program of Northern St. Louis County can be reached at 218-749-4725, where an advocate is available around the clock. The National Sexual Assault Hotline operates 24 hours a day at 800-656-4673. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
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