Feds Charge Rochester Man in Child Porn Case With 169 Victims
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The federal government has taken over the prosecution of a Rochester man in what the Rochester Police Department has described as a historic cybercrime case.
Federal Indictment Against Rochester Man
A federal grand jury indictment charges 45-year-old John Matthew Timmerman with four counts of production or attempted production of child pornography, a single count of possession of child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with intent to extort. He is currently in federal custody and is being held without bail.
Charges Filed by Olmsted County Prosecutors Dismissed
Timmerman was charged in Olmsted County court in February of last year with 13 felony counts, including use of minors in pornographic work, possession of child pornography, and soliciting a child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct. Court records indicate those charges were dismissed earlier this month due to the federal indictment.
Cybertip Led to "Historic" Rochester Police Investigation
The charges against Timmerman are the result of an investigation conducted by the Rochester Police Technology Forensic Unit. The original criminal complaint revealed the scope and tactics used in the alleged child cybersex crime case. Court documents indicate Rochester police first learned of Timmerman's alleged criminal activity through a cyber tip received in October 2024.
READ MORE: Rochester PD Reports ‘Largest Ever” Cyber Sex Crime Investigation
The criminal complaint says that led to the execution of a search warrant at his Rochester home and the seizure of several cellphones. The charges say that uncovered dozens of Facebook accounts and multiple Instagram accounts that Timmerman allegedly used to impersonate a minor online.
169 victims identified in cybercrime investigation
He is accused of messaging children who ranged in age from 8 to 17 and asking them to send sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. It is alleged that Timmerman would then threaten to share the explicit files with people known to the victims.
Court documents state that the investigation identified 169 victims who resided in Olmsted County and elsewhere in the United States. The charges say other victims were identified in Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and other countries and allege that Timmerman solicited explicit materials and extorted children starting in November 2023 and continuing through December 2024.
His next court appearance in federal court is scheduled for October.
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