Officer Gave Prisoner Food For Sex In Dakota County: Police

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — A Minnesota corrections officers is accused of having illegal sexual contact with a prisoner in exchange for buying her food. Randy Allen Beehler, 53, of Foley, has been charged with one count of criminal sexual conduct in the third and fourth degree after authorities say he coerced a female prisoner he was transporting into having sex with him.

At the time of the crime, Beehler was a corrections officer assigned by the Minnesota Department of Corrections to transport inmates, police said.

Hennepin County Sheriff's said a woman reported to staff at the Hennepin County Jail on Sept. 30 that she had been sexually assaulted by the person who transported her from the Olmsted County Jail. According to the woman, Beehler told her he was going to stop for food. When the woman said she would "do anything" for some food, Beehler asked if that included coming up to the front seat and "fooling around," she told authorities.

According to the charges, Beehler asked the woman if she would tell anyone, and she said no. Beehler also told the woman she could get in a lot of trouble if she told anyone, she told police.

Beehler stopped the vehicle at a McDonald's drive-thru in Cannon Falls and ordered meals for them both, police said. After leaving the restaurant, Beehler parked the vehicle by an abandoned business, un-cuffed the victim and brought her up to the front seat, according to the criminal complaint.

Later, Beehler started back on the road. While traveling through Dakota County, Beehler opened his pants, exposing his genitalia, and the woman performed sexual acts on him, police said.

When questioned by an investigator, Beehler initially denied any inappropriate contact, but eventually admitted that he had bought the woman food at McDonald's in Cannon Falls and allowed her to sit in the front seat of the vehicle while there, according to authorities.

He also admitted the victim performed sexual acts on him, police said.

"It is a felony under Minnesota law for a correctional officer to engage in sexual acts with a person who is a resident of a jail, prison, detention center or work release facility or under supervision of the correctional system," Kathy Keena, Chief Deputy of the Dakota County Attorney's Office, said in a statement. "Consent by the individual is not a defense. Criminal activity of this nature is a significant breach of trust. I wish to commend the victim for the courage to report these allegations to law enforcement."

Keena thanked the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and the Dakota County Sheriff's Office for their thorough investigation of this case.

Beehler made his first appearance in court Thursday, and Dakota County District Court Judge Karen Asphaugbail set bail at $50,000 without conditions ($20,000 with conditions).