Michigan man sentenced to over 5 years for crossing state lines for sexual encounter with minor

Morning headlines from Dec. 13, 2023

MINNEAPOLIS — A 22-year-old Michigan man has been sentenced to over five years in prison for traveling to Minnesota with the intent of having sex with minor.

According to court documents, Maxwell Winston Beardsley pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor in late 2022. 

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Beardsley met the teenage victim on Omegle — a free online chat website, said court documents. Beardsley lied about his age, claiming he was 16-years-old. Over the course of several months, Beardsley engaged in a romantic relationship with the minor, sharing sexually explicit images and conversations. 

Beardsley drove from Michigan to Minnesota on Jan. 27 with the express purpose to have sex with the minor, said court documents. 

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Beardsley pled guilty to the charge on July 19.

On Monday, Beardsley was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. In addition, he's required to pay restitution to the victim and $5,000 to the Domestic Victim Trafficking Fund. 

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Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

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