A Cottage Grove man pleaded guilty to producing, attempting to produce, and possessing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk. Peter James Monson, 38, is accused of engaging in ‘catfishing’ by taking on false personas to communicate with children on the internet, including via Snapchat.
According to court documents, between June 2019 and April 2020, Monson made a fake Snapchat profile of a 16-year-old girl named ‘Brianna’ and asked minor girls to create sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves to send to Monson so they could be rated by others as ‘princesses.’ In order to participate as a ‘princess,’ Monson used ‘Brianna’s’ profile to instruct the girls to follow certain rules, including creating and sending images and videos of the girls nude or engaging in sex acts.
Additionally, in April 2020, Monson used his iPhone to make a secret recording of an eight-year-old while the child was getting dressed. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006.
Monson’s crimes were investigated by the FBI Minneapolis Field Office, the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, the Cottage Grove Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miranda E. Dugi.
According to court documents, Monson engaged in ‘catfishing’ to communicate with children on the internet, including via Snapchat, between June 2019 and April 2020.
This case highlights the importance of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s web site at www.missingkids.com.
This case is a disturbing reminder of the dangers of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Monson’s crimes are a serious violation of children’s rights and trust.
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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