Minnesota Sex Offender Facing Federal Charges For Threatening To Kill Minor Victim's Family

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A southern Minnesota sex offender is facing federal charges for allegedly sending graphic threats describing what he planned to do to the family of his underage victim. Authorities stopped him while he was traveling across the Midwest with bag containing handcuffs, facemasks and weapons.

The U.S. Attorney's Office District of Minnesota says 26-year-old Michael Lee Kurkowski, of Owatonna, is charged with one count of threatening interstate communication. He made his initial court appearance Monday in Ohio, where a judge ordered him to be moved back to Minnesota.

According to prosecutors, Kurkowski was convicted last spring of sexually exploiting a minor in southern Pennsylvania. For the crime, he was sentenced to 142 days in prison and probation.

In December, law enforcement started investigating Kurkowski's online communications with another minor in Illinois. A month later, Kurkowski began sending messages to the minor describing his plans to torture and murder the family of his victim in Pennsylvania.

On Friday, investigators learned that Kurkowski had purchased a bus ticket to Pennsylvania. The FBI tracked Kurkowski to a bus stop in Toledo, Ohio, where they arrested him.

According to a criminal complaint, Kurkowski was traveling with a bag containing 16 heavy flex cuffs, electrical tape, a Taser, a large knife, rubber gloves, and hooded facemasks.

During this investigation, authorities also discovered that Kurkowski was sexually exploiting another minor in Cedar Falls, Iowa.