A Steele County man faces federal charges for allegedly exploiting children internationally, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday. Steven John Sokel, 61, from the small town of Blooming Prairie, is accused of manipulating three minor girls to engage in sexually explicit acts to create visual depictions, between November 2021 and April 2022, according to court papers.

Sokel, tagged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography, had his first day in court last week where Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz ordered him locked up till a detention hearing because the nature of the charges is particularly heinous, implicating a violation of innocence that calls for serious judicial scrutiny. Documents filed suggest that Sokel not only coerced the minors but did so by colluding with others, painting a grave picture of collaborative predation that the Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have spent extensive time unraveling.

The case, spearheaded by Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner, is part of a larger push against the far-reaching tentacles of child exploitation networks. Sokel's indictment, as per an official statement, should remind stakeholders of the persisting threats beyond our borders – how they seep through unseen crevices of global connectivity.

Sokel, presumed innocent until prowled over in court, is a grim reminder of the complexities of safeguarding children in an era where borders are digitally dissolved, where protections are laid bare by the illicit intent of some, his next appearance date has not been disclosed, however, his case continues to serve as a stark notice to the alike, with the community watchful as justice proceeds apace. Investigations leading to his capture reveal the dark side of the digital age, where predators often lurk shielded by anonymity, exploiting the vulnerable who often do not have a voice until law enforcement intervenes.