Registered Predatory Offender accused of recording self sexually abusing child

Benjamin Peterson

(Lake County Jail)

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – A man is accused of sexually abusing a young child and recording at least one incident.  Charging documents says law enforcement was tipped off to “Child Sex Abuse Material” being discovered on Benjamin William Peterson’s cloud account.

Peterson’s charging documents say he is currently a “Registered Predatory Offender”.

The indictment says investigators found a video showing a child “performing oral sex on [Peterson] while he had chocolate syrup on his penis.”  Upon questioning from law enforcement Peterson allegedly admitted to the act and said it had happened three times over the past year.  He said he never touch the victim with his hands.  The estimated time of the alleged crimes was between February 2025 and February 2026.

Peterson allegedly said he knew what he did was wrong, but he had been “too busy to get help.”

He admitted to recording the actions, but did not share it with anyone.  Peterson, 34, of Two Harbors has been charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree.

Public court records in Minnesota do not say what led to his Predatory Offender registration beyond “a criminal sexual conduct offense that required he register as a predatory offender until June 11, 2028.”

Court records do show Peterson has twice been convicted for failure to register.  In 2018 he was sentenced for failure to register as a sex offender in Hennepin County.  In 2013 he was sentenced for failure to register as a sex offender in Scott County.

He is scheduled to next be in court in early March 2026.