Eagan Man Charged with Soliciting Sex from a Minor During Online Chats

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An Eagan man faces charges after police say he sent nude photos of himself to an Ohio detective posing as a 14-year-old boy online.

Christopher Miller Gelke, 20, is charged with two felony count of solicitation of a minor to engage in sexual conduct. If convicted on one count, Gelke could face a maximum of three years in prison and $5,000 in fines.

Eagan police opened an investigation into Gelke's alleged actions in 2011, after a police detective from Ohio contacted the Eagan Police Department, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Dakota County Attorney's Office. The detective told Eagan police he was conducting an undercover online investigation posing as a 14-year-old boy on Sept. 25, 2010, when he struck up an online conversation with another person identified as "R.P."

During the conversation, R.P. allegedly sent the detective photos of a nude male between 16-18 years of age and introduced the detective to another male, "Chris," who allegedly masturbated in front of a webcam for the undercover detective.

Police say R.P. began talking in a sexual manner and claimed he had engaged in sex with younger boys on multiple occasions. R.P. then asked the detective if he would have sex with Chris.

The Ohio detective subpoenaed two Internet providers, and traced the I.P. address of "R.P." back to an Eagan home. Eagan police searched the home and allegedly discovered a photo of Gelke, who was 18 at the time, that matched one of the pictures sent to the detective. Police also found nude images of Gelke on the hard drive and recorded conversations between "R.P." and other screen names referencing sexual intercourse with young children.

Police spoke with Gelke at his college residence. There, police say Gelke admitted he made up the name "R.P.," but initially denied having a conversation with a 14-year-old and sending that person photos. When confronted with the photos collected by the Ohio detective, police say Gelke admitted the pictures were of him.

Police say Gelke later denied having sexual acts with children, and said he only engaged with others online.