Former Detroit Police Sergeant Remanded To Jail Following Arraignment On Serial Sexual Assault Charges Dating To 1999

Former Sgt. Benjamin Wagner was arraigned in Detroit for allegedly assaulting young women at gunpoint between 1999 and 2003 while an active officer.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 5:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Deadline Detroit

The Formal Arraignment Of A Retired Law Enforcement Officer

A significant chapter in a cold case investigation unfolded in Detroit 36th District Court on Thursday as Benjamin Wagner stood before a judge to face historical sexual assault allegations. The former sergeant, who concluded a long career with the Detroit Police Department in 2017, was recently apprehended in Greenville, North Carolina, where he had been residing in retirement. His return to Michigan marks the beginning of a complex legal proceeding involving charges that suggest a systematic pattern of predatory behavior during his tenure as a sworn protector of the city.

Allegations Of Armed Abduction And Criminal Sexual Conduct

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has detailed a series of harrowing encounters occurring between 1999 and 2003, all within a narrow radius of the defendant’s former residence on Bentler Street. Investigators highlight a November 1999 incident involving a seventeen year old girl who was allegedly intercepted at a bus stop and forced from the scene at gunpoint. A second documented case from January 2000 describes a similar methodology, where a twenty three year old woman was approached and threatened with a firearm before being subjected to a sexual assault.

A Career Defined By Prior Legal Scrutiny

This is not the first time the former sergeant has faced serious criminal allegations within the Wayne County judicial system. In 2002, a jury acquitted Wagner of charges related to the sexual abuse of his stepdaughter, a verdict that allowed him to maintain his position within the Detroit Police Department for another fifteen years. This prior litigation adds a layer of scrutiny to the current case, as officials re examine the circumstances of his service and the potential missed opportunities for earlier intervention during his twenty eight year career.