Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man is now facing a presumptive prison sentence due to a child pornography investigation conducted by police in Owatonna.

Olmsted County Court records indicate that Owatonna Police were conducting an investigation in January 2024 to identify people involved in the possession, publishing, distribution, or production of child sexual abuse material on social media. As part of the investigation, investigators established an account on the Kik social media platform and joined a group associated with other accounts known for seeking child pornography.

City of Owatonna

He Was Charged With Sharing a Video Showing the Sexual assault of a Young Child

The criminal complaint filed against 24-year-old Vadeem Rudenko states that one of the users in that group shared a video in late February of last year that depicted an 8-year-old girl being sexually assaulted. The court document also described how investigators traced the IP address of the account to the Rochester man and his residence, which led to the execution of a search warrant last March.

Andy Brownell - TSM Rochester

Rudenko was charged with one count of dissemination of child pornography involving a minor under the age of 14. The charging document says Rudenko gave a statement to investigators and admitted sharing the video online and told them he had at least 100 files of child sexual abuse material on his electronic devices.

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Rudenko has now entered a guilty plea to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced in June.

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Rudenko's plea agreement indicates the conviction carries a presumptive sentence of between 41 and 52 months in prison. It also indicates his attorney will argue for a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines and the prosecution will join that recommendation if a presentence investigation recommends it.

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