A “transgender” male previously convicted of sexually abusing a minor and who was housed in the Shakopee women’s correctional facility for a time is facing new violent crime charges.
Daniel Benz, who legally changed his name to Danielle Marie Whitebird in 2023, has been charged in Clay County, Minn., with eight counts, including seven felonies, following an incident in Hawley on Monday.
According to charges, an officer observed a pickup truck that was missing the front license plate exit from an area of storage units just after midnight on Monday. Given the time of night and prior burglaries, the officer became suspicious.
Whitebird, 39, who is repeatedly described as she/her in the criminal complaint, was pulled over by the officer and told the officer that he was looking for a storage unit but admitted he didn’t have a unit at the location.
The officer observed what appeared to be a power tool sticking out of Whitebird’s pocket. The item looked like a drill but turned out to be a light. Whitebird admitted that everything in the vehicle was his and stated there were probably bolt cutters in the vehicle, as well as a pry bar in the bed of the pickup. Whitebird denied cutting any locks at the storage units but did admit to opening one of the storage units that was empty. Whitebird also admitted to being on probation for third-degree burglary.
Whitebird consented to allow the officer to take photos of the vehicle and items inside the vehicle but became defensive. Meanwhile, another officer informed the officer on the stop that several of the storage lockers had been gone through and were in disarray. Whitebird then denied consent for the officer to examine the items in the vehicle to determine whether they belonged to Whitebird.
Whitebird was asked to exit the vehicle and a pat down search was conducted. Whitebird became uncooperative with the pat down by pulling away and becoming emotional and would not listen to lawful orders.
Officers eventually found several pick tools in Whitebird’s jacket pocket. Whitebird had also removed a black piece of clothing before exiting the vehicle, where officers found a soft handgun holster attached. Several rounds of ammunition were also observed in the front driver’s door. An additional search of Whitebird’s person was conducted for a possible firearm.
A search of Whitebird’s criminal history by officers, including under his prior legal name, revealed a conviction for first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon. Based on the evidence discovered during the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. The vehicle search revealed a loaded handgun, a loaded sawed-off shotgun, more loose ammunition, binoculars, wire cutters, and bolt cutters.
Whitebird was transported to the Clay County Jail for being illegally in possession of ammunition. While being transported, Whitebird slipped the handcuffs to the front and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Whitebird began to make threats toward the transporting officer and said that he was not going to jail and that law enforcement would have to shoot him. Whitebird stated one of them “was not going to get out of this alive.” Whitebird stood on the backseat of the squad vehicle and was attempting to kick the divider and the doors. The officer stopped her squad vehicle and requested assistance of other officers. Whitebird was advised that if he did not calm down, he would be placed in a hobble for safety. Whitebird then began to scream that he was going to have to be shot and was not going back to jail. Whitebird again stated, “one of us is not coming out of this alive” and began to bang his head on the divider, kick the windows, and stand in the backseat of the squad vehicle.
Additional officers arrived and tried to speak with Whitebird through the window. Whitebird then threatened that he had a gun, but officers could not see Whitebird’s hands. Whitebird refused to cooperate with commands and said officers would have to kill him.
Whitebird was eventually Tased and pulled from the vehicle, where he continued to resist arrest. No additional weapons were found, but Whitebird dropped a shotgun shell from his hands while being Tased. Whitebird continued to be combative and was placed in a spit hood and physical restraint device. Whitebird continued to scream and threatened to kill the officers’ families when he got out of jail.
While again being transported to jail, Whitebird managed to get the spit hood off and attempted to get out of the restraint system. Whitebird managed to free a bar that was part of the restraint system and was trying to pry open the squad doors. The squad stopped and Whitebird was again pulled from the vehicle, and the restraint system was reapplied.
Whitebird has been charged with three counts of illegally possessing firearms or ammunition, threats of violence, possession of a short-barreled shotgun, possession of burglary tools, obstructing the legal process, and a gross misdemeanor count of carrying weapons without a permit.
Whitebird’s prior convictions include at least four prior convictions for crimes of violence, which make him ineligible to possess a firearm or ammunition: criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree; first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon; and two convictions for first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon.
Whitebird made his first court appearance on Tuesday and was granted a public defender. He remains in custody on $400,000 bail.
Alpha News in 2024 covered one inmate’s experience with Daniel/Danielle while in the Shakopee correctional facility for women. Chaos Bell described how “Danny” exposed himself to her and other inmates.
The prison claimed it was taking complaints seriously, but Bell claimed nothing was ever done. Bell also described that several other men were housed in the prison and all were still intact with male genitalia.
A demonstration was held outside the Shakopee facility last fall, organized in part by a former inmate, in protest of the Minnesota Department of Corrections’ “barbaric” policy of housing men in the women’s prison.
Since 2023, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) has allowed men who claim to be women to be housed at Minnesota Correctional Facility (MCF)-Shakopee under a state policy titled “Management and Placement of Incarcerated People Who Are Transgender, Gender Diverse, Intersex, or Nonbinary.”
Legislation was attempted last year to ban “transgender” males from women’s prisons but the bill did not advance out of committees.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
