A Minnesota State Patrol trooper has been charged with felony stalking after allegedly taking a woman's cell phone and using it to send himself nude photographs of her.
Albert Kuehne, 36, of Dayton, was charged with two counts of stalking with bias due to the fact the victim was a woman, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said in a news release.
According to the criminal complaint, Kuehne had responded to a single-car accident at Interstate 94 and Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis on March 25.
Kuehne detained the driver of the car, a 25-year-old woman, as a possible drunk driver. She was taken to a hospital, where she was treated and released.
When she returned home, her boyfriend was using her laptop—which is linked to her cell phone—and discovered that her phone had been accessed and nude photos of her were texted from her device to an unknown phone, the complaint states.
The woman's boyfriend called the phone number and the person who answered eventually identified himself as Kuehne, according to the complaint.
The woman called a lawyer who reported the incident and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension then began investigating.
The criminal complaint said Kuehne's squad video showed him leading the woman to his squad car on the day of the accident.
Along the way, the woman took out her phone and Kuehne demanded that she give it to him.
The cell phone records indicate the photos were sent from the woman's phone at 4:44. The squad video showed Kuehne was alone in his squad at that time while paramedics were treating the woman, the complaint said.
Using a search warrant, investigators seized Kuehne's phone and they found three photos of the woman either nude or partially nude on his phone, according to the complaint.
Kuehne is not currently in custody, according to the criminal complaint. His first court appearance is set for July 15.
If convicted, Kuehne could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 per felony.
A spokesperson for the Minnesota State Patrol confirmed to Newsweek that Kuehne, who was appointed a State Trooper in May 2017, was placed on paid leave on May 20 pending further investigation.
"The alleged conduct outlined in this complaint is reprehensible and inconsistent with the core values of the Minnesota State Patrol," the spokesperson said in a statement.
"We hold troopers to a high standard and will take appropriate action regarding this matter. In the meantime, he is on leave pending further investigation."
This article has been updated with information and comment from the Minnesota State Patrol.
