Fergus Falls, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — A Fergus Falls man faces two felony charges after a long investigation, court records say.
The case centers on alleged child abuse images.
Lesley Glenn Nielsen, 53, was taken into custody on Thursday, March 5. Prosecutors charged him with two counts of possession of pornographic work involving minors.
Each count carries a possible sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Each count also carries a possible $15,000 fine.
How the case started
Court records say the Fergus Falls Police Department received an Internet Crimes Against Children tip. Investigators traced the tip to an IP address believed to be in Fergus Falls.
Records later linked that address to Nielsen, according to the complaint.
The timeline in court records spans more than a year. The tip involved a file from November 2024. The complaint says that file involved an 11-year-old child.
Investigators got a search warrant in May 2025. That warrant covered electronic devices at Nielsen’s home.
The search warrant focused on phones, computers, and other storage devices, the complaint says. Investigators then reviewed the data for possible matches to known abuse files.
What investigators found
After reviewing those devices, investigators flagged multiple files, court records say. The complaint says the files included alleged child sexual abuse material.
A detective sent flagged images and videos to NCMEC for review. NCMEC runs the national CyberTipline for child exploitation reports.
According to the complaint, a report returned on March 4. That report identified more than 60 files on the devices.
The complaint says some files showed real children from several places. It also says other material was created with artificial intelligence.
Charging documents also describe a repeated pattern of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
What happens next
Nielsen made his first court appearance on March 6. He was later released on a personal recognizance bond with conditions.
Those conditions bar unsupervised contact with anyone under 18. They also bar internet access and pornographic material.
His next court appearance is set for April 14.
The case remains pending in court. Charges are allegations. Nielsen is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Resources
Readers can review court information through Minnesota Court Records Online.
They can also find local court contacts through Otter Tail County Court Administration.
Tips about child exploitation can be sent through NCMEC’s CyberTipline.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.