DETROIT (WWJ) -- A retired Detroit police sergeant is facing dozens of felony counts in connection with a series of alleged rapes and kidnappings spanning several years.
Benjamin Wagner, 68, was arrested in Greenville, North Carolina, following a multi-agency investigation that used advanced forensic technology to link the former officer to cold cases involving victims who were as young as 15 at the time of the attacks.
Detailing the charges in a news release Thursday, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said the case involves five separate survivors who were targeted between 1999 and 2003.
Prosecutors allege that Wagner led a "double life" while employed by the Detroit Police Department from 1989 to 2017.
During his tenure, officials said Wagner served in various capacities — including the Tactical Services Unit and Criminal Investigations — all while committing violent acts within a five-mile radius of his home on Detroit’s northwest side.
“This case is illustrative of a multi-year journey to justice,” said Worthy, in a statement. “This case is especially disturbing to us because the evidence will show that a then Detroit Police officer is the rapist of the young women and girls in the cases that we charge today.”
The specific allegations outline a harrowing pattern of violence. In November 1999, a 17-year-old girl was walking home from work when she was allegedly held at gunpoint and assaulted. Similar attacks were reported in 2000 involving victims aged 23, 15, and 20, as well as a 2003 assault on a 16-year-old girl walking to her school bus stop.
In each instance, Wagner is accused of using a firearm to kidnap the victims before sexually assaulting them. While a handgun was allegedly used in every case, prosecutors noted that felony firearm charges could not be filed due to Michigan’s six-year statute of limitations.
The breakthrough in the investigation came through a collaboration between the FBI’s Detroit and Charlotte field offices, the Greenville Police Department, and the Wayne County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force.
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, said the arrest "proves what can happen when law enforcement agencies work together and refuse to let time or status of an individual stand in the way of justice."
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison condemned the alleged actions of the former sergeant, describing the evidence as "egregious and disturbing." He emphasized that the charges represent a "deep betrayal" of the public trust and the oath taken by law enforcement officers.
“Mr. Wagner’s actions do not represent the integrity, values or mission held by the officers of the Detroit Police Department,” Chief Bettison said. He credited the persistence of the Sex Crimes Unit for their work on the cold cases, adding, “Cold cases are oftentimes some of the most difficult cases to solve because they require years of persistence, careful reviews of evidence and most importantly, an unwavering commitment to justice.”
Wagner, who moved to North Carolina following his retirement in 2017 and recently worked at the Greenville airport, faces multiple counts of kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Both charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Authorities believe there may be additional survivors and are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone who was sexually assaulted by the defendant, or who has information about someone who was, should call the Detroit Police Department Sex Crimes Unit at 313-596-1950 and asked to speak with Sgt. Jennifer Carlson.
Avalon Healing Center can be contacted for support and assistance at 313-964-9701.