MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Christopher Robert Nelson, 45, of Eagan, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison, plus five years of supervised release, for producing child pornography.
Serial predator caught at the border
Nelson's crimes came to light on Sept. 9, 2023, when he returned to the United States from the Philippines and a Customs and Border Patrol agent searched his phone. His passport had been flagged for possible involvement in child sex trafficking.
What we know:
Agents found several videos on Nelson's phone that appeared to be child sexual abuse material. After a full forensic extraction, investigators uncovered approximately 400 images and videos. Those files were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for victim identification, which revealed 25 known victims across 46 different series of child sexual abuse material.
Investigators also found videos on Nelson's phone showing children between the ages of 8 and 12 from Thailand engaging in sexual acts. Additionally, law enforcement found messages between Nelson and a person who claimed to be a mother in the Philippines, discussing his plans to travel there to abuse children.
Scope of the abuse
Before his arrest, Nelson had been communicating with an 11-year-old girl through a messaging application on or about Jan. 13, 2023. He directed her to send him sexually explicit content and sent her money through a peer-to-peer money transfer application.
What we don't know:
It is not clear how long Nelson had been engaged in this behavior before investigators flagged his passport, or how many additional victims may remain unidentified.
What they're saying:
"The defendant is a serial child predator whose heinous actions have created irreparable harm to vulnerable children in the United States and other countries. My office has an unwavering commitment to protect children and bring justice to the victims and their families," said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
"Today, alongside our partners, we stopped a serial sexual abuser from harming children for the next 204 months," said HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. "Christopher Nelson's crimes were monstrous, and they underscore why our work with the Angel Watch Center and our law enforcement partners is so critical. We will keep fighting to bring predators to justice and protect children in our communities and around the world."
The Source: This story is based on an announcement from the United States Attorney's Office. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement partners. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted the case.