Associated Press
HASTINGS, Minn. — A Lakeville police officer and another man have been charged with photographing and filming two 17-year-old girls with their shirts off.
Officer Nicholas A. Reitmeier and Shin Taniguchi of Apple Valley were charged Tuesday with felonies for use of a minor in pornography and possession of pornography involving a minor.
The 25-year-old men were also charged with misdemeanors for photographs that allegedly show Taniguchi and a woman pointing handguns at each other.
Investigators say the teenagers went to Reitmeier’s apartment Dec., 22, where they drank beer and were filmed and photographed kissing with their shirts off.
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Reitmeier made is first court appearance Tuesday and was released on $20,000 bail. He has been on administrative leave from the department since the investigation began in January, after rumors about the kissing video circulated at the girls’ school.
Taniguchi, who is expected to appear in court within a month, said he didn’t realize what the girls did was pornography.
Reitmeier’s attorney, Kevin Gregorius, agreed.
"It seems a little extreme to call that pornography," Gregorius said. "Nothing remotely resembling intercourse took place. Two girls were kissing and possibly touching each other."
But Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said what the two men did was shocking, especially for a police officer.
"They were taken advantage of here by two adult men," Backstrom said. "And that’s wrong. And it shouldn’t happen."
Lakeville Police Chief Tom Vonhof said the charges are very serious.
