By Sarah K. Simon
On November 3, Two Harbors resident Keith Richard Udenberg was arrested by the Two Harbors Police Department and charged with seven felony counts of possessing child pornographic work involving victims under the age of 14. Udenberg, 36, had been under federal investigation initiated by undercover agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
According to the criminal complaint, agents engaged with an online user later identified as Udenberg and traced his IP address to a residence in Two Harbors. A search warrant was executed August 27, 2024, in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Lake County Attorney’s Office. Forensic analysis of his computer reportedly uncovered 2,783 videos and 207 images categorized as child sexual assault material.
Investigations of this nature are often part of broader federal operations that target online networks used to share and distribute illegal content. Once a suspect is identified, local authorities typically assist with search warrants and arrests, as was the case in Two Harbors.
Udenberg has since been released under conditional terms. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on December 8, 2025. Under Minnesota Statute §617.247, possession of child pornography is a felony offense punishable by up to ten years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine, per count. The case is being prosecuted under Minnesota state law, and officials have not released further details regarding potential additional charges. Mr. Udenberg is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Cases involving child exploitation are often identified through national cyber-tip reporting systems and joint task-force investigations. Anyone with information about suspected abuse or exploitation can report it at www.cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
