Federal agent from Twin Cities charged with producing, engaging in child porn acts

A Homeland Security Investigations special agent has been charged with producing child pornography after videos and images of sexual acts were found on a girl's cellphone.

Timothy Ryan Gregg, 51, of Eagan was charged Monday in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis with coercing and enticing a minor to take part in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

According to court documents:

The father of the victim found multiple explicit images and videos on the cellphone, which depicted the 17-year-old girl and an older person engaged in sexual activity. That person was identified as Gregg, who is also a task force officer with the FBI.

The girl told law enforcement that she connected with Gregg on the meet-up app Tinder.

She said they got together at a hotel numerous times from early March until late May, and he "used his ICE/HS email address to make the hotel reservations," the complaint read.

Gregg made his initial court appearance Wednesday and remains held in the Sherburne County jail without bail. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office will always hold defendants in positions of public trust to account, particularly when they commit crimes against vulnerable children," said acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson. "I am proud of the swift and decisive action of the FBI and the Rochester Police Department, who responded immediately and worked together to take Gregg safely into custody."

"The allegations in this case represent a gross violation of both the law and the responsibilities entrusted to those who wear a badge," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "There is no place in law enforcement — or in any position of public trust — for those who exploit minors. The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate such acts and ensure that no one is above the law, regardless of their rank or role."

Last month, Minnesota state trooper Jeremy Plonski, 29, of Shakopee was charged in U.S. District Court with one count of production of child pornography. He is also charged in Scott County District Court with first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

A criminal complaint alleges investigators uncovered several videos on a cellphone showing Plonski sexually assaulting an infant girl.

In interviews following his arrest, Plonski said he sent the videos of the assault to a person he was in a relationship with on the social media application Kik, the complaint states. Plonski estimated sending "four or five" videos to the person in 2022 then stopped. He is on leave from the State Patrol.