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Registered sex offender charged with child porn, coercion of a minor

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Published  May 22, 2025 5:26pm CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9

The Brief

    • Robert James Levi, 22, of Minneapolis, faces several charges related to the coercion, enticement and production of child pornography.
    • Court documents say that from February 2022 to February 2025, Levi had a 12-year-old girl in another state produce child sexual abuse material, then send it to him over the internet, while he "catfished" her claiming to be her 16-year-old boyfriend.
    • In February 2024, Levi was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in Stearns County, requiring him to register as a sex offender, but still continued the scheme, according to authorities.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man already registered as a sex offender in Minnesota has been charged again with the production of child pornography.

Sex offender charged

What we know:

Robert James Levi, 22, faces several charges by indictment related to the coercion, enticement and production of child pornography.

From at least February 2022 through 2025, court documents say that Levi had a 12-year-old girl in another state produce child sexual abuse material, then send it to him over the internet.

As part of the scheme, authorities say that Levi "catfished" the victim while posing as a 16-year-old boy, exchanging thousands of messages and claiming to be in a relationship in the process.

Previous charges

Dig deeper:

During the same timeframe, in February 2024, Levi was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in Stearns County, requiring him to register as a sex offender.

However, Levi didn’t stop the previous scheme after being charged, and placed on probation, court documents state.

What they're saying:

"Our country is enduring a sextortion epidemic," said acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick in a statement announcing the charges.  "The Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office is full of federal prosecutors who have zero tolerance for Levi and other repeat sexual offenders who will only stop when they are stopped… We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law."

"This case is a stark reminder of the depravity that exists online, and the relentless threat posed by predators who target children," said special agent Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis in a statement. "The fact that a registered sex offender manipulated and coerced minors into producing explicit material is both horrific and intolerable. The FBI and our partners will use every available resource to find and stop those who exploit children, and we will not rest until they are held fully accountable."

What's next:

If convicted, Levi faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

During a May 5, 2025, detention hearing, Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright ordered him to remain in custody pending further proceedings.

Crime and Public SafetyMinneapolisMinnesota