Blooming Prairie Man Charged in International Child Exploitation Case Enters Guilty Plea

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News)- A southeast Minnesota man who was indicted in a federal crime case involving the sexual exploitation of children has entered a guilty plea. 

Read More: Indictment: Southeast Minnesota Man Aided in the Sexual Exploitation of Children 

That’s according to a news release issued on Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in April. 

61-year-old Steven John Sokel was accused of aiding and abetting efforts of other people to coerce minor girls living outside of the United States to engage in sexually explicit conduct that would be used to create child pornography. 

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Court documents alleged the Blooming Prairie man participated in the international scheme from November of 2021 through April of 2022. 

The indictment also said he was in possession of videos and images depicting minors engaged in sexual acts. 

On Friday Sokel pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children, the news release says. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

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