Rochester man charged with sexting undercover officer posing as child

(ABC 6 News) – A SW Rochester man was charged Friday with sending sexually explicit photos, videos and messages to an undercover officer he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

Peter Eric Workman, 32, faces felony charges of engaging in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child, and distributing electronic material relating or describing sex acts to a child.

According to court documents, Workman, using a Kik account, allegedly messaged an undercover police officer in New Jersey posing as a 13-year-old girl between Sept. 8 and 19, 2022.

Court documents claim Workman “turned the conversation sexual” and began sending the undercover officer explicit images of himself and requested photos in return, even after repeated reminders that the Kik account was supposedly being used by a minor.

According to court documents, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension subpoenaed Kik for Workman’s IP address, and determined that he was the owner of the Kik account.

According to court documents, Rochester law enforcement learned from New Jersey officers that Workman’s account also chatted with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old from late September to mid-October 2022, and allegedly sent multiple explicit videos.

Local law enforcement executed a search warrant at Workman’s vehicle and home Thursday, Dec. 8 and seized a phone that allegedly matched the one visible in photos and videos sent to the NJ undercover officer.

Workman’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2023.