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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 3/24/2026
SUBJECT: High Risk Predatory Offender Notification
BY: Duluth Police Department

NATURE OF INCIDENT:
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE:
INCIDENT TIME:
INCIDENT LOCATION:

High Risk Predatory Offender Notification

RISK LEVEL THREE: In addition to level two notification, law enforcement may notify other members of the community whom the registrant is likely to encounter.

The Duluth Police Department is available to provide you with useful information on personal safety. The Duluth Police Department may be reached at 218-730-5400. To report criminal activity by this registrant or any other individual, please call 911.

NAME: Taran Lavar Buchanan

DOB: 12/04/1977

OID: 223876

Race: Black

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 190 lbs

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Black

Registration Statute(s): 609.343

Investigating Agency: Duluth Police Department

Release Date: 11/17/2025

Supervision Agent: Not applicable. Sentence terminated.

Offense: Taran Buchanan engaged in sexual contact with a known female child. Contact included penetration. Buchanan used attention and affection to gain and exploit unmonitored access with the victim.

Address: Homeless in the 2000 block of West 3rd Street, Duluth, MN 55806

Date of Address Change: 03/03/2026

The Duluth Police Department is releasing this information pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 244.052 and 253D. These statutes authorize law enforcement agencies to inform communities of a public registrant’s release from prison or a secure treatment facility when the Duluth Police Department believes that the release of information wil enhance public safety and protection.

The individual who appears on this notification has been convicted of Criminal Sexual Conduct or another offense that requires registration with law enforcement pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 243.166 or 243.167.

This individual has served the sentence imposed on them by the court and is transitioning into the community. This notification is not intended to increase fear but rather raise awareness. Law enforcement believes that an informed public is a safer public.

The Duluth Police Department may not direct where this individual does or does not reside, nor can this agency direct where they work or go to school.

Those convicted of sexual and predatory offenses have always been released to live in our communities. It was not until the passage of the Registration Act that law enforcement had an ability to track movement of these individuals after their initial release. With the passage of the Community Notification Act law enforcement may now share information about many of these individuals with the public. Abuse of this information to threaten, harass or intimidate a registered person is unacceptable and such acts could be charged as a crime. Such abuses could potentialy end the ability of law enforcement to provide these notifications.

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