ABOUT US

Exploitation thrives in darkness. We keep Minnesota’s eyes open.

Eyes Open Minnesota exists to protect children from sexual exploitation and human trafficking by educating communities, supporting victims, exposing those who target children, supporting lawful efforts to stop offenders, and bringing transparency and accountability to the systems and public institutions entrusted with protecting Minnesota’s children.

OUR VISION

A Minnesota where predators fear accountability more than children fear speaking up.

Why we started

Eyes Open Minnesota began in Rochester in 2026. Predators no longer need to physically approach a child to reach them. Children can be groomed, solicited, threatened, and sextorted through the phones, games, and apps they use every day, often without the adults around them knowing.

Meanwhile, when an offender is arrested, the headline fades long before the case is resolved. Charges are reduced, counts are dismissed, and sentences are shaped by plea agreements and sentencing guidelines most Minnesotans never see. We started Eyes Open Minnesota to help families recognize the threat, and to make sure the public keeps watching what happens next.

What we focus on

  • Protect: give children and families the information they need to recognize grooming, sextortion, online solicitation, trafficking, and exploitation.

  • Support: stand alongside victims, families, victim-service organizations, investigators, and law enforcement.

  • Expose: bring awareness to child exploitation and follow significant Minnesota criminal cases from charges through sentencing.

  • Advocate: examine Minnesota law, sentencing policy, plea agreements, and legislation, and push for policies that better protect children.

WHO WE ARE

What we are, and what we are not

We are

  • A Minnesota nonprofit organization focused on preventing child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

  • Educators for parents, kids, schools, and communities.

  • A bridge to trained victim-service professionals and law enforcement.

  • A public-records watchdog that follows cases and sentencing outcomes.

We are not

  • Law enforcement. We do not investigate, arrest, or confront anyone. If a child is in danger, call 911.

  • A victim-service provider. We point people to the professionals who do that work.

  • Vigilantes. We never encourage harassment, threats, or contact with anyone named in a case.

  • A source of legal advice.

Our Editorial Standards

Court Watch follows real people through the justice system, so we hold ourselves to clear rules:

  • Presumption of innocence. Every person charged is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.

  • Charges are not convictions. We label every case by its current stage: charged, pleaded guilty, convicted, sentenced, dismissed, or acquitted.

  • Victims are never identified. We leave out names, ages, schools, relationships, and any detail that could identify a minor victim.

  • Sources. We rely on court records, official government releases, and credible news reporting, and we link to our sources.

  • Updates. When a case changes, we update it. When charges are dismissed or a defendant is acquitted, we say so prominently.

  • Corrections. If we get something wrong, we fix it and note the correction.

  • No harassment. Our reporting is for public awareness, never for targeting individuals.

  • Booking photos. We do not publish booking photos, and we remove a case page if charges are dismissed or the defendant is acquitted.

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