Minneapolis Daycare Worker Charged with Producing Child Pornography After Taking Photos of Children in His Care

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis man has been charged with producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

According to court documents, between June 17, 2024, and June 18, 2024, Eric Phillip Allen, 39, of Minneapolis, used a minor to produce sexually explicit images. Allen also faces charges in Hennepin County related to these same allegations.

The federal complaint charges Allen with one count of production of child pornography. Allen made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz. He was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, before Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright.

Investigators believe there may be other victims relevant to this investigation. If your minor dependent(s) have been in contact with Eric Phillip Allen, please contact the Minnesota BCA’s Tip Line at 1-877-996-6222 or email bca.tips@state.mn.us.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melinda A. Williams and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are prosecuting the case.

A complaint is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.