A former Minnesota State Trooper has been sentenced to 27 years in federal prison for producing and distributing videos depicting his sexual abuse of a child, including recordings in which he wore his police uniform.
U.S. District Judge Kate M. Menendez sentenced Jeremy Francis Plonski to 324 months in prison and 180 months of supervised release on September 8. Plonski had pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025, to production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Abuse recorded and distributed
Court documents cited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office say Plonski produced 23 videos between approximately April and October 2023. In some, he personally abused a minor while dressed in his State Patrol uniform. He later distributed videos of the abuse through a social-media application.
The guilty plea and sentence establish his criminal responsibility. The child is not identified here.
Institutional response
The Minnesota State Patrol said Plonski was terminated. Colonel Christina Bogojevic, the patrol’s chief, said the conduct violated the duties associated with the badge and thanked investigators for securing accountability. Federal and state law-enforcement leaders separately described the case as both child exploitation and a betrayal by an officer entrusted to protect the public.
The FBI and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigated, with assistance from the State Patrol and other agencies. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota prosecuted.
Why the case matters
Plonski’s use of his uniform adds an institutional dimension to the crime. Police uniforms convey authority, safety and public trust; using one while recording child abuse compounds the betrayal and raises questions about safeguards inside law-enforcement agencies.
The public sentencing announcement does not explain when the State Patrol first learned of the allegations, whether earlier warning signs existed or whether an internal review identified policy failures. It also does not describe the defense’s sentencing request. Those remain important questions for accountability reporting.
After prison, Plonski will remain under federal supervision for 15 years. The Justice Department did not identify any pending appeal in its announcement.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, September 8, 2026.
