Michigan officials recently revealed alarming charges against a former Detroit police sergeant who allegedly led a “double life” as a serial rapist.
Benjamin Wagner, 68, is facing 14 charges in total, including eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and five counts of kidnapping. These charges relate to purported attacks on five young women and girls between 1999 and 2003.
The ages of the victims ranged from 15 to 23.
“It’s troubling to see that the individual we are prosecuting was both a law enforcement officer and a serial rapist,” stated Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy.
“These charges mark the end of a long fight for justice. The details coming to light in this case are quite disturbing,” she added.
According to authorities, Wagner targeted victims in the early morning hours in northwest Detroit while they were commuting to school, returning home from work, or visiting friends.
Worthy noted that in each incident, he approached the victims from behind, brandished a firearm, forced them to secluded areas, and assaulted them without protection.
While the assaults occurred several miles from Wagner’s home, officials clarified that his residence was not the location where the attacks took place.
Wagner, who worked at the Detroit Police Department (DPD) from 1989 until his 2017 retirement, had a commendable career, focusing on roles in Criminal Investigation and Tactical Services.
The case’s breakthrough came from a multi-year probe initiated after the discovery in 2009 of over 11,000 untested sexual assault kits at a DPD warehouse.
He was arrested earlier this month in Greenville, North Carolina, where he had been living since leaving the force and agreed to extradition back to Michigan to face charges.
In Michigan, the statute of limitations for these crimes is only six years, which may delay any potential charges related to weapons.
The five victims who reported the incidents did so promptly, and their sexual assault kits were collected at the time.
Officials are urging any other potential victims of Wagner to reach out to the Detroit Police Department’s sex crimes unit, as their experiences might not have been documented.
Worthy did not disclose whether Wagner had interacted with the victims while serving in his role or if he faced any internal investigations or criminal charges during his career.
