Duluth Man Gets Plea Deal in Child Porn Case; 2 Charges Dropped
A Duluth man accused of producing child sexual abuse material has pleaded guilty to two counts against him and had two others dropped.
Jeffery Lee Niemi, 40, was charged with a total of four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and prosecutors agreed to dismiss two as part of the plea deal.
Niemi admitted in court to engaging in sexual penetration with a boy under the age of 14 during a three-year period between 2021 and 2024, charging documents say.
A criminal complaint outlined how international authorities uncovered the abuse during a separate investigation in Australia. The content was flagged as part of an international investigation into the distribution of child sexual abuse material.
U.S. Homeland Security informed the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office after 26 videos and 21 images surfaced during the investigation. In the videos, an adult male voice can be heard speaking to the juvenile and various locations are depicted, including a residential setting and a public locker room.
PREVIOUSLY: Facial Recognition Leads to Arrest in Child Exploitation Case
Investigators used facial recognition technology and publicly available images on social media accounts to confirm the identities of those portrayed in the content. A search warrant executed at Niemi’s residence in Duluth in Oct. 2024 revealed additional evidence tying him to the explicit recordings. Items found in the home included distinctive clothing and accessories that matched those seen in the video.
Through the facial recognition and background information, investigators identified the child in the recordings and noted the presence of specific items like a pair of blue sneakers and a distinctive orange watch—seen both in the videos and also at Niemi’s residence. Niemi’s wife confirmed that her husband frequented the Duluth YMCA, where one of the videos appeared to have been filmed.
According to court records, Niemi was previously convicted of possession of pornographic work in 2016 and was ordered to serve seven years of probation, register as a predatory offender and attend sex offender treatment. Records show Niemi was discharged from supervision in April 2023.
The plea deal did not include a sentencing agreement. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and Niemi’s formal sentencing is set for June.
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