A northern Minnesota man is accused of “taking hundreds of surreptitious photographs of young females,” according to charges filed earlier this month.
The 42-year-old Bemidji man faces two felony stalking counts and one gross misdemeanor count of interfering with privacy, according to a criminal complaint filed in Beltrami County.
The complaint says authorities learned the man was “traveling around the state of Minnesota, and the City of Bemidji” to take illicit photos of minors, though it does not specify how they discovered this. Investigators later obtained a search warrant for his phone.
“On his phone, investigators discovered a significant number of photos of young females, with the focus being on their clothed private parts,” the complaint said. “It was apparent that the females did not know they were being photographed.”
Some photos were taken at a Walmart in Bemidji on June 28. Investigators reviewed the store’s surveillance footage and confirmed he was there with his phone at the time the images were captured.
The man was charged by warrant on Nov. 5. The most serious charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted.
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