Some crimes shake a community not just because of what happened, but because of who is involved.
When a person with the responsibility — and authority — to enforce the law is suddenly caught breaking it, the betrayal feels deeper. And in this case, the warning signs were in plain sight, yet the truth didn’t fully surface until the sting snapped shut.
A Minnesota immigration employee is now facing the kind of legal trouble he once helped other agencies investigate.
Alexander Steven Back, a 41-year-old Immigration and Customs Enforcement auditor from Robbinsdale, was among 16 men arrested in Bloomington’s undercover sweep known as “Operation Creep.” The operation targeted individuals seeking s*xual encounters with minors, and Back fell directly into the trap.
His unraveling began November 13, when he responded to what he believed was a standard online prostitution ad. But behind the listing was an undercover Bloomington officer. In court documents, the officer described posing as a 17-year-old girl named “Bella.” When the officer clarified her age, Back didn’t hesitate or back away.
He replied, “Sure,” even acknowledging that another potential buyer had been scared off by the same detail. Back pressed on, asking whether she was connected to the police — a question every undercover unit expects — and got the reassurance he wanted.
Then he drove to meet her, arriving in a vehicle registered to his wife.
The moment Back showed up, officers surrounded him. They arrested him on the spot and seized his phone. In a moment of panic or misplaced confidence, Back reportedly blurted out, “I’m ICE, boys.”
If he thought that title would spare him, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges quickly cleared that up. During a November 18 briefing, Hodges didn’t hide his frustration:
“From what I understand, he sent people to federal authorities. I think he’s about to meet some federal authorities himself, because I expect the feds will take this case.”
The irony was impossible to ignore — a man expected to enforce federal law was now accused of trying to violate it. Back has been charged with a felony for attempting to buy s*xual services from someone he believed was between 16 and 18. He was booked into Hennepin County Jail and released two days later after posting a $75,000 bond. At his initial November 17 hearing, he declined to enter a plea. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 17.
Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security has commented on the case, and attempts to reach Back through listed contact information were unsuccessful. The silence from federal agencies has only intensified public skepticism and concern.
✅ Conclusion
This case is more than one man’s moral collapse — it’s a blow to public confidence in the institutions meant to protect society. When someone charged with upholding the law is caught breaking it in such a serious way, people rightfully question how deep the problems run. As the legal process moves forward, many will be watching to see whether federal authorities hold their own accountable and whether justice is applied evenly, regardless of title or badge.