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Michigan officials recently announced a slew of grisly charges against a retired Detroit police sergeant accused of leading a “double life” as a serial rapist.
Benjamin Wagner, 68, faces 14 separate charges, including eight counts of first-degree sex and five counts of kidnapping, stemming from the alleged beatings of five women and girls between 1999 and 2003.
The victims ranged in age from 15 to 23 years old.
“The sad truth in this case is that the man we’re charging today led a double life as a police officer and serial rapist,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “… These cases are the culmination of a years-long journey to justice. The facts alleged in this case are disturbing, disturbing and upsetting.”
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Benjamin Wagner is pictured in an undated photo. (FOX 2 Detroit)
Authorities say Wagner targeted the victims in the early morning hours on Detroit’s northwest side while they were going to school, coming home from work, or visiting friends.
Throughout the attack, he is said to have approached the victims from behind, pointed a gun at them, forced them into an isolated area, and sexually assaulted them without a condom, according to Worthy.
The attack took place a few kilometers from his home, although officials denied that his home was an “isolated place” where the victims were brought.
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Prosecutors and Detroit police announced the charges at a news conference. (FOX 2 Detroit)
Wagner worked with the Detroit Police Department (DPD) from 1989 until his commended retirement in 2017, working in various units including criminal investigations and tactical services.
The breakthrough in the case was the result of a multi-year investigation linked to the 2009 discovery of more than 11,000 untested sexual assault kits left in a DPD warehouse.
Wagner was arrested earlier this month in Greenville, North Carolina – where he has been living since leaving the department, and was later extradited to face charges in Michigan.
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Benjamin Wagner was filmed in court via Zoom. (FOX 2 Detroit)
He will not face time on any possible weapons charges related to the crime, as the statute of limitations for such crimes in Michigan is only six years.
The five victims who joined the case immediately reported the crimes when they occurred and were collected by sexual assault services at the time.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy speaks at a press conference about the case. (FOX 2 Detroit)
Officials urged any other possible victims of Wagner’s assault to contact the Detroit Police Department’s Sexual Offenses Unit, noting that the charges may have gone unreported.
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Worthy did not confirm whether Wagner had contact with the victims while on the job, or whether he was the subject of an internal affairs investigation or other criminal allegations during his career.
