MMA manager Kyle Stoltz pleads guilty, sentenced after arrest in FBI child sex sting operation
Kyle Stoltz, a longtime MMA manager and co-founder of Janus Sports & Entertainment, was sentenced to 48 months in prison after he recently pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from an FBI sting in 2021.
According to court records acquired by MMA Junkie, Stoltz pleaded guilty in late June to a felony charge of luring children or mentally ill persons with the intent to engage in sexual conduct.
Stoltz, 42, received a minimum 48-month sentence in the Nevada Department of Corrections from the Eighth Judicial Court of Nevada. However, that sentence has been suspended due to Stoltz’s recognizance and agreement to a number of stipulations that will allow him 36 months probation instead.
Stoltz was required to pay $3,447.85 in fees and will have to comply with a handful of special conditions, including counseling, dating restrictions, electronic device forfeiture, and a “special” sentence of lifetime supervision. Additionally, Stoltz registered as a sex offender.
The arrest, which was first reported by News 3 Las Vegas, took place Dec. 9, 2021 in Las Vegas after weeks of police correspondence with Stoltz as part of a Child Exploitation Task Force.
According to a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department report obtained by MMA Junkie, Stoltz allegedly engaged in a series of message exchanges through location-based social networking app SKOUT beginning Dec. 7. A member of the task force posed as a female decoy, who originally stated her age was 21. Stoltz (under the alias “Chris”) and the decoy eventually switched to regular text messages. MMA Junkie has verified the phone number linked to the police report was a number Stoltz used for MMA business dealings.
Once situated in phone text communication, Stoltz sent images of himself and tried to establish the age of the decoy juvenile – at which point the decoy said she was 14. Stoltz proceeded to discuss his job of managing professional athletes and models. Stoltz then asked the decoy a handful of sexual questions. Texts continued into the following day, Dec. 8, police allege, as did the sexual conversation.
According to police, Stoltz initially indicated he felt uncomfortable when pressed about what could happen Dec. 9 if the two met up, but he eventually invited the decoy to his house because hotels “can be a pain in the butt.” Eventually, a 7-11 was established as a meet-up location.
Police witnessed a man fitting Stoltz’s description arrive at the same time he pinged the decoy that he was there. He was positively identified and arrested. The phone matching the number he texted the decoy from was found in his black Hyundai Kona.
After his arrest, Stoltz agreed to speak to investigators, according to the police report. During their conversation, police say Stoltz did not deny the underage status of the decoy and nodded when the age was brought up. However, he never admitted the person he was hoping to meet was underage.
Stoltz stated he felt the decoy pushed him into the meeting. He also said he “f*cked up” and knew what he was doing was wrong.
Stoltz denied that he was going to do anything inappropriate with her but admitted he shouldn’t have had the conversations.
Related
Sam Alvey parts ways with UFC after going winless in nine straight bouts
Despite fighting in Angela Hill's hometown, Loopy Godinez expects fan support at UFC San Diego
Stoltz founded Janus Sports & Entertainment, along with co-founder Matt Aptaker, in September 2016 and represented a number of UFC and Bellator fighters over the years. Stoltz additionally worked for XMMA as a matchmaker.
Shortly after his arrest came to light in a tweet by MMA reporter Mike Russell in April, the Janus Sports website was deleted. Aptaker cut ties with Stoltz and has since launched AOQ Sports, an agency that manages a handful of the same clients, namely in Bellator.
Aptaker declined to comment on the situation when reached by MMA Junkie.
