A 32-year-old man identified in court documents as Kyle Joseph Judge was arrested in St. Paul on June 16 after what investigators described as an undercover juvenile demand suppression operation. According to charging papers, Judge allegedly negotiated to pay someone who identified as 16 for sexual services and was detained when he showed up at a prearranged meeting spot. He now faces a felony count that carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
What investigators allege
The criminal complaint says task force investigators posted an online advertisement and that Judge contacted the listed number to hash out the details of a meeting. According to the filing, he asked, "[h]ow much for a qv" and ultimately agreed to a $150 "full service qv" that included oral sex without a condom. During the text exchange, the decoy allegedly wrote, "kk I'm 16." Officers then arrested Judge when he arrived at the designated St. Paul location at about 6:46 p.m.
Investigators reported seizing $300 in cash and a cellphone, and say they verified the device belonged to Judge when a confirmation code that had been sent to the ad number appeared on that phone. Court documents state he later agreed to unlock the device for investigators, as reported by Limitless Media News.
The charge and legal penalties
Judge is charged under Minnesota Statute § 609.324, hire or agree to hire a 16-to-17-year-old, a felony subdivision that carries a maximum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. State law also specifies that "consent or mistake as to age" is not a defense to prosecutions under these prostitution statutes (see Minn. Stat. § 609.325), a provision prosecutors can point to when making charging decisions.
Why police run these stings
Minnesota's human trafficking investigators and local partners say undercover demand suppression operations are designed to go after buyers in order to reduce exploitation and to identify and recover potential victims. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety has publicly described similar St. Paul operations coordinated by the BCA-led Human Trafficking Investigators Task Force that resulted in multiple arrests and the recovery of potential trafficking survivors, as outlined in a department news release.
Court status and next steps
The criminal complaint contains only allegations, and Judge is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court. As reported by Limitless Media News, charging documents say he admitted using a website to solicit sexual services and agreed to the $150 price, although he later told investigators he did not recall seeing the text that the decoy was 16. Ramsey County court records will show Judge's next scheduled court dates and any additional filings in the case.
