Lakeville officer guilty in photos of teen girls, guns

Last update: October 7, 2008 - 11:01 PM

A Lakeville police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking pornographic pictures of two 17-year-old girls kissing and to reckless use of a gun.

Nicholas Reitmeier, 25, was sentenced in Dakota County District Court to 30 days in jail and three years' probation for taking pictures of the girls in December 2007 and for taking pictures of another man and an unidentified adult female pointing handguns at each other. He will lose his law enforcement license as a result of the felony conviction.

According to the criminal charges against Reitmeier, the two 17-year-olds went to Reitmeier's home after being invited by Shin Taniguchi, 25, of Apple Valley, who is also charged in the case and who was pictured in the photographs showing the handguns. Reitmeier gave both of the girls alcoholic beverages when they arrived. Later, the girls took off their shirts but not their bras and both men took cell phone pictures and video clips of the girls kissing.

The video circulated at the girls' high school and a student contacted the Lakeville Police Department, which turned the case over to the Sheriff's Office. After a search of Reitmeier's home, the pictures of the girls and the gun pictures were found. Reitmeier was put on paid leave in January after the incident came to light.

Taniguchi is scheduled to appear in court in November on similar charges.

LORA PABST