Clarification: This story has been updated to correctly reflect the number of child pornography images police say they found on the suspect's computer and electronic devices.
HASTINGS, Minn. - If you've been on social media lately, you've likely seen some posts about people being followed at stores. Oftentimes, the conversation turns to concerns about sex trafficking. But police say that's typically not the case and it may be something very different, although still disturbing.
Across social media, you can find posts warning others of men suspiciously photographing women and girls at carnivals, gyms and stores.
And Dakota County investigators want you to be aware.
"What could look like a person just walking with a cell phone in their hand or standing next to you at a register, they could be capturing images," said Captain Dan Bianconi with the Dakota County Sheriff's Office.
They're called "creepshots" - photos that are not necessarily pornographic, but are sexually suggestive. They're taken in public places without the subject's knowledge, often of women and sometimes of children.
And the photographer sometimes posts them online.
"There's a number of different websites," Bianconi said.
Bianconi said Dakota County has seen an increase in "creep shots." And he says they pursue it as a crime.
In one case in particular, according to court papers, a suspicious Walmart employee in Apple Valley reported a man following a mother and daughter school shopping for 25 minutes. Court records show the employee told police it appeared Andrew Tyma was taking photos of the 11-year-old.
"He made it appear to them that he was also shopping," Bianconi said.
Court records show Tyma was charged and pleaded guilty to public nuisance, without admitting to photographing the girl. He receiving a stay of adjudication, meaning he went on probation for one year, then the judge dismissed the charge.
But that case led to a search warrant. According to the criminal complaint, investigators found 228 images identified as child pornography and 2,319 images identified as child erotica on Tyma’s laptop. Tyma again pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation last month.
"During our investigation we often run into the case where there is child pornography on the devices," Bianconi said.
Whether or not the suspected "creepshots" lead to big charges, Bianconi wants people to be aware of those around them while shopping - and report suspicious behavior.
