On about May 27, 2025, Bloomington police were assigned a cyber tip that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) had been downloaded at an IP address located at a home in Bloomington, Hennepin County, Minnesota. Through officers' investigation, they learned that Defendant Benjamin Thomas Venier [DOB REDACTED] lived at the home along with his mom and his mom's partner. Based on all the information, officers got a search warrant for the home. On June 26, 2025, officers executed the search warrant at the home in Bloomington, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
When they arrived, they located Defendant at the home and spoke with him. During officers' conversations with Defendant, he told officers his room is in the basement of the home and that on his old phone and iPod there is CSAM on those devices. Defendant admitting to using KIK and Telegram to download CSAM. Defendant admitted to officers he knows downloading and viewing CSAM is wrong. Defendant told officers he had been viewing CSAM for about 10 years. During officer 'search of the home they located several devices including and an iPod and two iPhones in the basement of the home where Defendant said his room is located.
The iPod and two iPhones were forensically examined, along with the other electronic items collected from the home. The forensic exam of the iPod and two iPhones showed several accounts belonging to Defendant, Google searches associated with CSAM, and 3,511 CSAM files and 1,174 visually unique CSAM files. Below is a description of six of the CSAM files located on Defendant's devices. 1) Description: A 27 second video found on Evidence Item 2 in the device's private pictures folder. A prepubescent female child [NAME REDACTED] on her back on bedding.
She is clothed only in a pink shirt which is pushed up to her armpits. Her legs are spread open and an erect adult male penis is visible. The male is using his hand to penetrate her vaginally with his penis repeatedly. The video appears to be filmed by the male from above and focused on the genitalia visible in the video. The child's face is briefly visible as the camera moves during the video. The size and development of the child made your complainant believe she was between 3-7 years old. 2) Description: A 25 second video found on Evidence Item 2 in the device's private pictures folder.
A prepubescent female child [NAME REDACTED] on her stomach on bedding. She is clothed only in a pink Hello Kitty sweatshirt with gray polka dot leggings pulled down to her knees exposing her bare skin from the waist to her knees. An adult male with an erect penis is penetrating her repeatedly in her anus. The adult male appears to be filming with the focus on the child's anus. The child's face is not visible. The size and development of the child made your complainant believe she was between 3-7 years old. 3) Description: A 1 minute and 3 second video found on Evidence Item 2 in the device's private pictures folder.
