A Calhoun man and former Cherokee County deputy sheriff will spend the next 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges tied to the sexual exploitation of minors, according to federal prosecutors.
Stephen Michael Bunte, 42, was sentenced April 16 in U.S. District Court after admitting to enticement of a minor and receiving child sexual abuse material. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
Federal officials say the case originated from a broader 2023 investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations into an overseas child exploitation operation based in the Philippines. During that probe, agents identified an individual who was selling access to explicit livestreams involving multiple children, all under the age of 12.
Investigators later determined that Bunte had been in contact with the trafficker while employed as a deputy with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say the communication spanned several months, with tens of thousands of messages exchanged and multiple phone calls placed between the two.
During that time, Bunte received dozens of illegal images involving three minor victims between the ages of 6 and 14, according to prosecutors.
He entered a guilty plea in November 2025.
Along with his prison sentence, the court ordered Bunte to serve 15 years on supervised release once he is released. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Federal officials emphasized the seriousness of the case, noting that individuals in positions of public trust who engage in crimes involving the exploitation of children will be held accountable.