Minnesota BCA Arrests Man in Rosemount Following 13-Count Child Sexual Abuse Material Case
Published: August 24, 2026.
ROSEMOUNT, MINNESOTA - A St. Paul man accused of attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy and possessing more than 1,000 files of child sexual abuse material was arrested Monday morning in Rosemount by what court records show were agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Daniel Christopher Schwartz, 36, is facing charges in Dakota County District Court with 13 felony counts, including electronic solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct, dissemination of child sexual abuse material, and 11 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material involving minors under the age of 14.
Schwartz was arrested at approximately 10:45 a.m. Monday, August 24, 2026, in Rosemount by the Minnesota BCA. Court records show the criminal case and a prosecution request for bail were filed on August 19, 2026. Prosecutors requested a complaint warrant, arguing Schwartz represented an ongoing public-safety risk and a potential flight risk.
The charges are allegations. Schwartz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Undercover BCA Investigation Began in November
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began on November 20, 2025, when BCA agents conducted an undercover operation on a website used to connect people for sexual encounters. An agent posed as a 14-year-old boy and began communicating with a person investigators later identified as Schwartz. The complaint states the undercover agent explicitly told Schwartz he was 14 and sent an artificially generated image of a child as purported proof of his age.
Despite being told the purported child's age, prosecutors allege Schwartz continued the conversation and asked to meet the fictitious 14-year-old for sexual activity. Investigators repeatedly told Schwartz that the child's mother was in town for work meetings and that the child was at a park in St. Paul, according to the complaint. That alleged conversation forms the basis for the first charge against Schwartz: felony electronic solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct. The offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
Search of Website Allegedly Uncovered Additional Material
As the investigation continued, a BCA agent obtained a search warrant for the website used during the undercover conversation. According to the complaint, investigators subsequently discovered evidence alleging Schwartz had been sending child sexual abuse material, commonly referred to as CSAM, to other users of the website.
Prosecutors allege Schwartz sent one such image to another user on November 17, 2025. Investigators said additional CSAM had allegedly been sent through other conversations that were later deleted. According to the complaint, the website retained the images, although investigators could not determine when some of them had been sent. That portion of the investigation resulted in a felony charge of dissemination of child sexual abuse material. The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
BCA Seized Computers and Phones in January
The investigation expanded on January 8, 2026, when BCA agents executed a search warrant at Schwartz's residence. According to the complaint, agents seized two computer towers and three cell phones. Investigators also conducted a traffic stop involving Schwartz's vehicle and took him into custody.
During a post-Miranda interview, Schwartz initially told investigators he did not remember the conversation with the purported 14-year-old, according to the complaint. Prosecutors allege he subsequently apologized for his conduct and acknowledged that he thought the situation was unusual because the child was supposedly alone.
The complaint further alleges Schwartz admitted he was using the website while looking for sexual encounters.
Prosecutors: More Than 1,000 CSAM Files Found
Forensic examinations of Schwartz's electronic devices allegedly revealed a significant amount of child sexual abuse material. According to the complaint, investigators identified 1,018 CSAM files allegedly in Schwartz's possession as of January 8.
The complaint describes a sample of the files, which prosecutors allege depicted infants and prepubescent children, including children estimated to be younger than 2, 4, 7, 8, 10 and 12 years old. Some of the material allegedly depicted sexual abuse of children by adults, while other files allegedly showed children restrained or subjected to sexual acts. Investigators determined that one video involving a child estimated to be younger than 12 had allegedly been accessed on December 31, 2025. Another image involving an infant had allegedly been accessed on November 23, according to the complaint.
The 11 possession charges against Schwartz each involve child sexual abuse material depicting a minor under the age of 14. Each count carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.
Messages Also Cited in Complaint
Investigators also allegedly discovered screenshots of messages between Schwartz and another individual. According to the complaint, the messages included a discussion that the other person had 2-year-old twins and a statement allegedly made by Schwartz describing his sexual interest in boys.
Prosecutors cited those findings, along with the undercover operation and the alleged possession and dissemination of CSAM, in asking the court to issue a warrant.
"The State believes there is an ongoing risk to public safety," prosecutors wrote in the complaint, arguing Schwartz's alleged conduct had progressed beyond possessing and disseminating CSAM to actively attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he believed was a child.
Prosecutors Raise Flight-Risk Concerns
Court documents also state Schwartz previously lived abroad. According to the complaint, Schwartz has connections to Thailand through previous employment teaching English to children. Prosecutors cited those international connections when arguing that he posed a flight risk.
The Dakota County Attorney's Office provided additional details in its August 19th bail request, stating Schwartz told special agents that he returned to the United States in 2024 after living in Thailand and teaching children. Prosecutors argued that his prior international travel demonstrated he had the means to leave the country.
$125,000 Bail Requested
The Dakota County Attorney's Office requested bail be set at $125,000 without conditions or $100,000 with conditions. If released on conditional bail, prosecutors requested that Schwartz be prohibited from leaving Minnesota without written court approval and be required to surrender his passport. The state also requested that he be prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition, explosives or dangerous weapons.
Additional requested conditions include participation in a pretrial release program, no contact with minors, no possession or use of pornographic material and no internet or computer communications with minors. Prosecutors also requested that Schwartz remain law-abiding, attend all future court appearances and keep the court and attorneys informed of his current address.
The bail request was filed at approximately 3:20 p.m. on August 19, the same date listed on the filing. Schwartz's arrest Monday morning in Rosemount comes approximately five days after the case was filed in Dakota County District Court.
Limitless Media News will provide additional updates as we continue to follow this case.
Pictured: Daniel Christopher Schwartz. Provided by the Dakota County Jail.
Written By: Will Wight
