Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis police sergeant accused of using AirTag to track, harass coworker, charges say
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis police sergeant is accused of illegally accessing a law enforcement database and then using an AirTag to track and harass a former romantic partner, who is also a coworker.
Gordon Blackey, 59, was charged in Anoka County with four misdemeanors, including harassment, unauthorized use of a tracking device and two counts of unauthorized acquisition of non-public data.
The charges state that Blackey and a fellow Minneapolis police sergeant had a brief romantic relationship last year. Since the breakup, the two had maintained a professional and friendly relationship. Then in March, the woman found an Apple AirTag in the wheel well of her car, which was linked to Blackey’s cell phone, according to the charges.
She confronted him, charges say, and Blackey said he put the AirTag in the car because he “cared about her.”
On April 30, Blackey invited her out for a drink, but she declined. Later that night while out with friends at a restaurant, she noticed Blackey sitting inside the restaurant too, which concerned her, documents say.
She reported the incidents to Minneapolis police and the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office on May 7, expressing concern for her privacy and safety.
An Anoka County Sheriff’s Office investigation revealed that no court order authorized Blackey to place the AirTag in the woman’s car, the charges say.
The investigation also showed that Blackey had accessed the database for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and taken a photo of license plate numbers. The numbers were tied to the woman’s father and coworker, charges say, and Blackey had no law enforcement purpose for looking up their information.
In an interview with an Anoka County Sheriff’s Office detective, Blackey admitted to placing the AirTag in the woman’s car and accessing private information using BCA records without legitimate law enforcement purpose, charges say.
“I am, of course, very concerned about the charges, but I’ll refrain from commenting further to maintain the integrity of the criminal legal process,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
Blackey is currently employed with the City of Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis City Council on Thursday voted to temporarily extend the eviction notice period for renters in an effort to help support residents impacted by Operation Metro Surge.
Under the ordinance, which was approved 7-5, landlords would need to wait 60 days — not the typical 30 — before bringing an eviction notice to a renter. If approved by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, the 60-day requirement would stay in effect until Aug. 31.
Supporters of the ordinance said Operation Metro Surge left residents out of work and relying on mutual aid networks to pay rent.
“Preventing eviction is always more cost-effective than trying to re-house someone who has been evicted,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley, who represents Ward 2.
Wonsley, alongside members Elliott Payne, Jamal Osman, Aisha Chughtai, Soren Stevenson, Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury voted in favor of the resolution. Council member Jamison Whiting abstained from voting.
The city estimates Operation Metro Surge led to an additional $15.7 million in monthly need for rental support. Last month, council members approved $1 million in rental assistance for Hennepin County to help families impacted by the surge.
MANCHESTER, Iowa — A Minnesota man has been arrested in Manchester after police say he attempted to meet someone he believed was a minor for sexual activity.
The Manchester Police Department said Robert Fenn Eselby III, 23, of Minneapolis was arrested Feb. 27 following an undercover investigation.
According to police, Eselby contacted an undercover officer posing as a juvenile through several social media platforms. Authorities said he was informed multiple times that the person he was communicating with was underage.
Investigators say Eselby sent explicit photos and videos and later arranged to travel to Manchester to meet the supposed minor for sexual activity.
Police said Eselby was taken into custody immediately after arriving in Manchester and was transported to the Delaware County Jail.
Authorities also said Eselby allegedly attempted to ask an arresting officer out on a date during the booking process.
Eselby faces one count of grooming, a Class D felony, and one count of disseminating obscene material to a minor, a serious misdemeanor.
Court records show he remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
What exactly is a data center and why are so many being proposed across Minnesota? Professor Manjeet Rege, chair of Software Engineering and Data Science and director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas, joins us to explain how these massive facilities store and process the world’s data and what the economic, environmental, and infrastructure questions are as Minnesota considers hosting more of them.
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