Minneapolis Sex Offender Accused of Coercing 12-year-old Into Sending Explicit Pics

May 22

A 22-year-old registered sex offender from Minneapolis is now facing federal charges for allegedly coercing a 12-year-old girl into producing explicit images.

Federal prosecutors say Robert James Levi was indicted for production and attempted production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and committing an offense as a registered sex offender.

Levi is accused of using a fake identity and posing as a 16-year-old boy while communicating with the child, who lived in another state, and manipulating her into sending sexually explicit material. The communication took place over a span three years.

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According to court records, the alleged exploitation began in February 2022 and continued through February 2025. Authorities say Levi exchanged tens of thousands of messages with the girl and convinced her they were in a relationship, despite being more than a decade older. In February 2024, Levi was convicted on an unrelated case in Stearns County of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and was required to register as a sex offender. Prosecutors say the federal offenses continued even after that conviction and while Levi was on probation.

In Stearns County, Levi was convicted after he touched a six-year-old girl on the buttocks. He pled guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison, which was stayed on the condition that he successfully complete 25 years of probation.

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“Our country is enduring a sextortion epidemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “My heart goes out to the many victims—vulnerable children—who are sexually exploited by online predators. 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. Levi faces decades in federal prison. We will prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”

FBI officials say Levi’s status as a registered offender makes the allegations even more disturbing. “The fact that a registered sex offender manipulated and coerced minors into producing explicit material is both horrific and intolerable,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin Winston.

Levi was formally charged by federal indictment which was unsealed on Wednesday. Levi appeared in federal court on May 5 and was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.

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

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