Minneapolis Daycare Worker Admits Secretly Filming, Photographing Kids

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A former Minneapolis daycare worker has admitted in federal court to photographing and recording children enrolled at the facility where he worked, federal prosecutors said.

Eric Phillip Allen, 41, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota.

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The plea hearing took place before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel.

According to court documents, Allen worked as a daycare worker in Minneapolis from Jan. 1, 2024, through Aug. 2, 2024. While in that role, he photographed or video recorded children enrolled at the facility for his own sexual gratification, prosecutors said.

Allen also used the internet to distribute other child sexual abuse material, including lascivious comments and remarks about the children in his care, according to prosecutors.

The U.S. Attorney's Office did not name the daycare in its announcement.

Allen was first charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 14, 2024, and was indicted by a federal grand jury six days later. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

"Today's guilty plea is one step closer to holding the defendant accountable for his heinous acts against the most vulnerable. There is no higher priority for my office than safeguarding children and prosecuting those who harm them," U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said in a statement.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, called it "a vile crime against the most vulnerable members of society, in a place where they should be safe."

"Today's guilty plea represents an important step toward accountability, and we will continue working to ensure that those who prey on children face the consequences of their actions," Evans said.

The BCA led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Gilead, Mary S. Riverso and William C. Mattessich are prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state and local resources to find, arrest and prosecute people who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims.