Minnesota Patrol trooper accused of sexually assaulting girl
By Nick Lentz, Ubah Ali
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Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota State Patrol trooper is accused of sexually assaulting a girl, according to charges filed Friday.
Jeremy Plonski, 29, was charged on Friday with one felony count of criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 14. The state charge comes one day after he was charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with one count of production of child pornography.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Scott County, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on April 30 analyzed a phone in connection with an investigation into child sexual abuse materials. Investigators found a video of Plonski interacting sexually with a minor. Officials believe the video was made in April 2023.
Prosecutors say Plonski admitted to sending “four or five” videos of him sexually assaulting the girl over a social media app in 2022 during an interview after his arrest on April 30.
“The crimes alleged are horrifying,” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said in a written release on Friday. “This child endured unimaginable sexual abuse.”
The criminal complaint says Plonski is being held in federal custody, and that the state is seeking a warrant so he can be brought before a Scott County judge once he’s released.
If convicted of both the federal and state charges, Plonski faces up to 60 years in prison.
Caroline Palmer, the human trafficking prevention director at the Minnesota Department of Health, says it’s always hard to hear when people in positions of authority are involved in these kinds of situations.
“When we are looking at the issue of sexual exploitation and trafficking, pornography plays a big role in that,” Palmer said. “It’s another way of holding power.”
She says some signs that a child is being exploited include behavior changes, unexplained gifts or a change in school performance.
“Sometimes these signs aren’t there, and things may look normal, and it’s important to communicate with children.”
If you know of a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the website. The Minnesota Department of Health also has resources available here.
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