A federal security employee at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport already in trouble for taking video of a young boy riding a luggage carousel is also accused of taking dozens photos of young females during preflight screening.
The discovery was made during an investigation into an incident involving a 9-year-old boy taking an unauthorized ride on a baggage conveyor belt on May 1. That investigation led to Bjorn R. Broms, 37, of Savage, being charged Monday, July 12, in Hennepin County District Court with violation of government data practices, a misdemeanor.
Broms was charged in connection with the conveyor belt allegation and awaits his first court date. Reached by phone Tuesday, Broms declined to comment about the allegations.
The criminal complaint alleges that the 42 photos of females taken by the Transportation Security Administration agent show them on the close-circuit monitor in various forms of dress such as shorts, tight pants and tank tops.
In reference to the conveyor belt incident, the complaint says that Broms recorded videos from closed-circuit imagery of the boy climbing onto a baggage conveyor belt behind a Delta ticket counter and going for a brief ride. Airport police found the youngster unharmed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Broms then sent video footage of the boy's unauthorized excursion to Minnesota Public Radio, which posted the imagery on its website, the complaint continued.
A fellow TSA agent told an airport detective that she heard Broms say, " 'I should sell this to the news. I would make quite a bit of money,' " the charging document read.
A statement from TSA said the veteran employee has been put on administrative leave as the investigation continues.
©2021 StarTribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
