Rochester Police Sting Nets Felony Charges for NW Minnesota Man

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A man living in a small town in northwestern Minnesota is facing multiple felony charges connected to a proactive investigation into the sexual exploitation of children conducted by the Rochester Police Department this summer.

A criminal complaint was recently filed in Olmsted County Court against 23-year-old Ryan Anthony Frye of Waubun, a community of around 400 people located about 10 miles south of Mahnomen. He is charged with solicitation of a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct, engaging in electronic communication relating to or describing sexual conduct with a child, and distributing via electronic communication material relating to or describing sexual conduct with a child.

According to the charges, Rochester police investigators created undercover accounts for a social media app known to be used by people interested in exploiting children. The court document says that in late July, a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl online received a message from an account later traced to Frye.

The complaint says Frye was told that he was communicating with a 14-year-old in Rochester before the conversation became sexual, at which point he allegedly sent a video of his genitals. He also allegedly asked the detective multiple times to send explicit images of herself.

In late August, the court document says Rochester police officers went to Mahnomen, where Frye worked, and continued communicating with him online. Those messages allegedly included Frye sending another sexually explicit video of himself. The complaint states Frye was located in his vehicle and taken into custody.

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It also notes that, after being read his Miranda rights, Frye admitted to communicating with the undercover accounts and acknowledged that the discussions were about sex and included him sending explicit videos and images.

Frye was released without bail following his arraignment last week. His next court appearance is scheduled later this month.