The adult son of Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek has been charged with trying to solicit a minor for sex and for possessing child pornography. The investigation into 24-year-old Ryan Stanek began in March when a man told the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office that Stanek had been sending sexual text messages to his “young adult daughter.” Investigators then posed as the woman and a 13-year-old girl via text and email. When Stanek arrived to meet them in a Mankato mall parking lot on May 19th, he was arrested. A search warrant of a phone Stanek was using turned up pornography involving children as young as three.
Here is a full statement from Sheriff Rich Stanek:
“My son Ryan was charged today with a crime in Blue Earth County District Court. This
was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension.
The account for the cell phone involved in this matter is held in the name of the Stanek
Volunteer Committee. I continue to pay the bills for the phones on the account that are
used by members of my family with my personal funds.
Ryan is an adult and is accountable for his own actions. As parents, we will continue to
assist him to do what we can to help guide him.
Like all parents, we love our son and are providing him the support that we hope will help
him deal with the challenges in his life.”