Former downtown Aitkin photography shop owner Duane Earl Ganz, 73, has been convicted of one count of felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct and sentenced in Aitkin County District Court, in a case that traces back to a complaint filed in June 2024 and reported locally this month.
According to court filings, the conduct involved a person younger than 13. Prosecutors dismissed two additional criminal sexual conduct counts as part of the case. Earlier this month, a judge ordered Ganz to serve 180 days in the Aitkin County Jail, with credit for one day already served, pay $1,000 in fines and fees, and complete 10 years of supervised probation. The court also imposed a 36-month prison term at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud, which was stayed for the length of his probation.
Case details and sentence
According to Message Media, a criminal complaint filed in June 2024 alleged that Ganz engaged in sexual contact with a person under the age of 13. Two additional counts were later dismissed as the case moved forward.
Message Media reports that the court entered the sentence on February 3 in Aitkin County District Court. The order combined county jail time, a stayed 36-month term at the St. Cloud facility, and 10 years of supervised probation. The judge also assessed $1,000 in fines and fees and credited one day already served toward the county jail term. The outlet’s coverage lays out a timeline of the charges and sentencing from the original June 2024 complaint through the February 3 hearing.
What second-degree CSC means under state law
Under Minnesota law, second-degree criminal sexual conduct covers sexual contact in circumstances that include situations where the complainant is under 13 and the offender meets specified age differences or uses force. The offense carries significant potential prison time and fines under the statute setting out the elements and penalties for the crime. For the statutory language and requirements, see Minnesota Statutes §609.343.
In many cases, a conviction at this level leads to registration on Minnesota’s Predatory Offender Registry and other collateral consequences for the person convicted. For information on which offenses require registration and how that system works, see the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s BCA predatory-offender guidance.
Court records and next steps
Public court calendars and dockets in Aitkin County can be used to follow filings, hearings, and any potential appeals in the case. The Aitkin County District Court provides guidance on how to access those records, although certain documents and victim-identifying information are restricted under Minnesota court rules and may not be available online.
Those interested in the status of the case can contact the court clerk or consult the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s Aitkin County page for current schedules and filings. General information on the court, including links to calendars and record access policies, is available through the Aitkin County District Court.
Ganz has been identified in local listings and coverage as the longtime owner of Duane's Photography in downtown Aitkin, where he photographed community events for decades. Local archival coverage shows Duane's Photography operating on Minnesota Avenue in the city. The complaint and sentencing mark the latest chapter in a prosecution that began with the June 2024 complaint and culminated in the February 3 sentence, as reported by Message Media. Court filings will show whether either side chooses to appeal or otherwise challenge the sentence.
