DETROIT – A retired Detroit police sergeant accused of leading a double life and raping multiple women over several years is now facing a sixth case involving a 14-year-old girl.
Benjamin Wagner, 68, of Greenville, North Carolina, is charged in six kidnapping and criminal sexual assault cases involving attacks between 1999 and 2003 on Detroit’s west side. Prosecutors said the victims were between 14 and 23 years old at the time.
“I’m not gonna call him Sgt. Wagner. I’m gonna call him Mr. Wagner,” said Assistant Chief Chuck Fitzgerald of the Detroit Police Department. “He has disgraced this badge. He has disgraced everything we do.”
The newest charge stems from an Oct. 15, 2002, incident on Trinity Street near Outer Drive, where prosecutors said Wagner approached a 14-year-old girl walking to catch a bus to school, pointed a gun at her, forced her into a secluded area and sexually assaulted her. The victim, now 37, underwent a sexual assault kit examination at the time.
Prosecutors told Local 4 the warrant tied to that case was not ready at the time of Wagner’s March 19, 2026, arraignment on five other cases.
“Our survivor in this case was only 14 years old when Benjamin Wagner allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted her,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “She has lived with what happened to her for 23 years and has now bravely decided that she wants to be a part of holding him accountable.”
Wagner now faces charges in the latest case, including kidnapping, two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Wagner’s defense attorney stressed that the charges are still only allegations, that Wagner has no criminal history, and “has not been convicted of anything yet.”
Investigators said the allegations across all six cases reflect a chilling pattern: the victims, aged 14 to 23, had been walking alone on Detroit’s west side near bus stops, schools or workplaces and had been approached and threatened with a handgun, then sexually assaulted by Wagner. Officials said all incidents occurred within roughly 5.5 miles of Wagner’s Detroit home on Bentler at the time.
Other cases against Wagner
The other assaults, according to prosecutors, occurred in 1999, 2000 and 2003, and included a 17-year-old who was attacked after a bus stop encounter near Chalfonte and Mark Twain.
In another assault, prosecutors said a 23-year-old was approached near Wyoming and attacked.
A 15-year-old was also threatened and assaulted while walking to school on Florence Street.
A 20-year-old was attacked after leaving a friend’s home near West McNichols, and a 16-year-old was assaulted after being kidnapped from a bus stop area on Ferguson Street.
Prosecutors said Wagner used a handgun in each attack, though firearm-related charges were not filed due to statute of limitations constraints.
Wagner’s work history
Wagner worked for the Detroit Police Department from 1989 until his retirement in 2017, serving in multiple divisions, including precinct operations, investigative units, tactical services, criminal investigations, and the Commercial Auto Theft Unit. Prosecutors said the assaults occurred while he was an active-duty officer who later rose to the rank of sergeant.
“Just like any other profession, any other — we get some that slip through. And this one, unfortunately, is an absolute monster. And he’s gonna get what’s coming to him,” Fitzgerald said.
Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison called the allegations “egregious and disturbing,” describing them as “a deep betrayal to the oath us officers take as a symbol of public faith.”
After retiring, Wagner moved to North Carolina, where he worked at the Greenville airport before his arrest. Local 4 spoke to a family member of Wagners who appeared distraught over the allegations, but did not want to comment at this time.
The Wayne County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force
The investigation into Wagner is also tied to the Wayne County Sexual Assault Kit Task Force, formed after prosecutors discovered 11,341 untested sexual assault kits in a Detroit Police Department storage facility in 2009. Those kits, collected between 1984 and 2009, were later processed through a large-scale DNA review initiative.
As of March 1, 2026, the office told Local 4 that all 11,341 kits have been tested. State data shows 4,243 DNA profiles have been developed, including case-to-case links and matches in the national database.
Investigators said those results identified 858 suspected serial sexual offenders across 41 states, led to 264 convictions, and closed 5,684 investigations, with 36 cases still active and additional matters under review.
Officials said Wagner was first linked to unsolved assaults through DNA analysis in 2010, though his identity was not confirmed until renewed FBI investigative work in 2023 and 2026 connected him to multiple sexual assault kits.
“This 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,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office.
Investigators said the arrest was carried out on March 17, 2026, in Greenville, North Carolina, with assistance from multiple agencies, including the Detroit Police Department, FBI field offices in Detroit and Charlotte, and local North Carolina authorities. Wagner waived extradition and was arraigned in the 36th District Court, where he was remanded to jail.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for April 7, 2026, before Judge Shawn Jacque, with additional proceedings set for April 14.
Authorities stressed the investigation remains active and encouraged any additional victims to come forward.
If you believe you were sexually assaulted by the defendant, please report this to the Detroit Police Department Sex Crimes Unit at 313-596-1950 and request to speak to Sgt. Jennifer Carlson. Avalon Healing Center can be contacted for support and assistance at 313-964-9701.