Michigan authorities have charged Benjamin Wagner, a retired Detroit police sergeant, with multiple counts of sexual assault and kidnapping tied to a series of attacks from 1999 to 2003. Wagner faces 14 charges, including eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and five counts of kidnapping involving five victims aged 15 to 23.
Allegations Detail Serial Assaults Near Wagner’s Home
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy described Wagner as having “led a double life” while serving the Detroit Police Department. The assaults allegedly occurred in Detroit’s northwest side, where Wagner approached victims in early morning hours—while they were walking to school, work, or friends—and used a pistol to force them to isolated locations before sexually assaulting them without protection.
Authorities confirmed the locations of the attacks were close to Wagner’s residence but clarified that his home was not one of the isolated sites where the assaults took place. The victims reported the crimes promptly at the time, and sexual assault kits were collected during those initial reports.
Investigation Tied to Unprocessed Sexual Assault Kits
The charges stem from a multi-year investigation triggered by the 2009 discovery of over 11,000 untested sexual assault kits stored in a Detroit Police Department warehouse. Wagner retired in 2017 after nearly three decades with commendations in various departments, including criminal investigations and tactical services.
Wagner was arrested in Greenville, North Carolina, where he relocated post-retirement, and waived extradition to Michigan. Due to Michigan’s six-year statute of limitations, potential weapons charges related to the case will not be pursued.
Prosecutors have urged anyone who may have additional information or may be other victims to contact the Detroit Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit. Prosecutor Worthy did not disclose whether Wagner had been investigated previously or had any on-duty interactions with his victims during his law enforcement career.
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