23-Year-Old Jamestown Man Arrested Outside Library Charged with Luring Minor by Computer

Joseph Scott Nelson, 23, was arrested outside the Alfred Dickey Public Library after arriving at a prearranged meeting tied to an undercover online sting and now faces a Class B felony charge of luring minors by computer, plus two Class A misdemeanor drug counts. Nelson was booked into the Stutsman County Correctional Center and held on $5,000 bond.

Court documents and law-enforcement accounts say a Bismarck Police Department detective posed online as a 14-year-old girl and communicated with Nelson via Messenger for several months. The detective contacted Jamestown police in January and set up a planned drop-off at the library for the fictional 14-year-old on Feb. 5. Detectives arrested Nelson after he arrived at the meeting location.

Police allege the messages exchanged contained sexually explicit content, including one message in which Nelson allegedly asked if she wanted to "have sex or watch a movie" and another that described a sexual act. The felony complaint alleges Nelson - who is accused of being 22 years of age or older - invited or induced a person he believed to be younger than 15 to engage in sexual performance or sexual conduct and took a substantial step toward meeting the minor between July 1 and Feb. 5. A Class B felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine under state law.

During a post-arrest interview at the Jamestown Police Department, Nelson acknowledged using methamphetamine hours earlier and admitted talking to someone he believed was 14 via Messenger, according to the probable cause statement. Officers report finding a smoking device with white residue in Nelson’s pocket after booking. The additional counts allege unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and ingesting, inhaling or taking methamphetamine into the human body, both Class A misdemeanors.

Nelson told officers he was trying to help and support the person online; court documents record the statement, "He was trying to help the girl and provide support." Court filings also quote Nelson denying intent to engage in sexual activity, noting, “Nelson denied that he was going to do anything inappropriate with the girl because he had no place to go due to people being at his apartment.” Local reports indicate Nelson recently moved to Jamestown from Fargo and may be homeless.

There is a discrepancy in reporting about whether Nelson entered a not guilty plea to the felony at the time of arrest or only to the misdemeanor counts at a formal initial appearance; court records from the Southeast District Court should clarify when pleas were entered and the schedule for a preliminary hearing. Law-enforcement coordination in the case reflects common practice in online child-exploitation investigations, where undercover detectives often pose as minors to identify suspects.

For Jamestown residents, the case underscores the intersection of online solicitation, public meeting places and substance-use concerns. The investigation will proceed through the Southeast District Court and additional court filings and probable cause documents are expected to provide more detail. Nelson remains in custody pending further proceedings.