Zimmerman, Sherburne County (trfnews.i234.me) — A Minnesota man faces charges in a child abduction case.
Prosecutors say Joseph Andrew Bragg is the suspect.
His address is listed as International Falls, Minnesota.
They say he took a girl under 10 on January 21, 2026.
Timeline from the court filing
Family members reported the girl missing after she did not come home from school.
She normally got off the bus around 3:40 p.m.
Neighbors told deputies the girl was dropped off.
A home camera showed her walking toward home at about 3:53 p.m.
She then turned back toward the bus stop.
Searchers canvassed the area.
They did not find her.
Horrible details now revealed
Investigators learned the child’s mother had a strange online contact in December.
The contact used a Facebook profile for Joseph Bragg.
The mother later blocked the account, investigators said.
Using digital location data, officers focused on Bragg.
They believed he was driving a rented white 2025 Dodge Ram with Tennessee plates.
Cell phone location updates showed the device moving south toward Iowa.
Police shared the vehicle details with agencies along the route.
An AMBER Alert was then issued.
Traffic stop leads to recovery
Just after 12:30 a.m. on January 22, an officer spotted the truck at a travel center in Albert Lea.
The truck matched the alert details.
The officer stopped the truck.
The driver was identified as Bragg.
Police said the truck was packed with items.
An officer then saw a juvenile girl in the back seat.
She matched the missing child’s description.
The child was removed from the truck.
Police said she was seated in a booster seat near luggage.
Bragg was arrested.
Police said he did not give a statement.
Charges and what happens next
Court documents also describe a ride-share trip linked to Bragg and the child.
The trip went to a hotel in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Investigators say the hotel room was booked from December 27 to January 21.
Police later searched the room under a warrant.
They reported finding several items, including unused diapers.
Authorities also located a vehicle tied to Bragg at a separate residence.
A resident said Bragg asked to store the vehicle there.
Bragg faces a charge of kidnapping to facilitate a felony or flight.
He also faces a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The complaint alleges sexual abuse.
Graphic details are not included here.
The allegations remain unproven in court.
The case will proceed in the Minnesota district court.
Resources
- Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office
- Minnesota AMBER Alert info (DPS/BCA)
- Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
- AMBER Alert overview (NCMEC)
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.