Stearns County Sex Offender Sentenced to 27 Years for Exploiting Preteen Girl Via Catfishing Scheme

(KNSI) — A man convicted in Stearns County of criminal sexual conduct has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography after continuing to exploit a child victim even after his state conviction.

Court documents say registered sex offender Robert James Levi spent approximately three years coercing a then-12-year-old girl into producing and sending him child sexual abuse material over the internet. Beginning in February 2022, Levi catfished the victim by posing as a 16-year-old boy. Over the course of more than 112,000 messages, he convinced her she was in a romantic relationship with him. Levi was, in fact, an adult man.

In February 2024, a Stearns County jury found Levi guilty of second degree criminal sexual conduct, and he was required to register as a sex offender. Prosecutors say that conviction did not deter him as Levi continued exploiting the victim while the Stearns County case was pending and even after he was placed on probation.

Federal prosecutors ultimately charged Levi, and he has now been sentenced to more than two decades behind bars.

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