Charges: Thief River Falls Resident Ben Roggenbuck, 38, Created And Distributed Child Pornography

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 38-year-old Thief River Falls man faces federal charges for making, distributing and possessing media content involving children being sexually harmed.

Benjamin Joseph Roggenbuck made his first court appearance Monday in St. Paul, where the judge ordered that he remain in custody until his next court date.

Roggenbuck is accused of exploiting and abusing two prepubescent children in order to create sexually-explicit content between Feb. 12, 2020 and Feb. 20, 2020.

He is charged with two counts of production and attempted production of child pornography; one count of distribution of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography.

The charges are a result of a joint investigation by Thief River Falls police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, working in partnership with Project Safe Childhood.