The unsettling incident took place at the S Bar F Scout Ranch in St. Francois County in July of 2021.
The individual in question, David Lee Nelson, 41, was found guilty of producing and attempting to produce child pornography. In addition to his prison sentence, Nelson has been ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
According to a press release from the Justice Department, Nelson "concealed the cameras within paper towel dispensers, strategically positioning them to capture footage of a shower stall and other areas of the bathroom." His illicit activities were discovered when other scout leaders, assisting the children in cleaning the restroom, stumbled upon the hidden cameras.
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One such device was found during a restroom clean-up session involving a scout leader and several scouts. A subsequent search revealed another camera, prompting the leaders to contact the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department. When later questioned by a sheriff’s deputy, Nelson falsely claimed that he was searching for a misplaced cell phone charger.
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During Nelson's court hearing, victims and their parents expressed their deep betrayal, stating that Nelson was supposed to be a figure of trust and protection for the scouts. His actions, they said, have left them with a deep-seated mistrust of others and a fear and discomfort associated with using public restrooms.
Following the discovery of the cameras, the scout leader promptly alerted the authorities, leading to Nelson's arrest.
The presiding judge also ordered Nelson to pay $55,000 towards victim funds and prevention programs, and an additional $6,810 for the victims’ counseling. Upon his release, Nelson will be under lifelong supervised release and will be forbidden from interacting with minors without explicit permission.
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According to the initial indictment, Nelson had recorded three minors, aged 11, 13, and 15. His case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Justice Department in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves a collaboration of federal, state, and local resources to more effectively apprehend criminals who target children online and to rescue victims of sex trafficking.
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Project Safe Childhood is a comprehensive strategy to combat child exploitation, combining law enforcement efforts, community action, and public awareness. The initiative aims to reduce the incidence of child sexual exploitation through five key components: building partnerships, coordinating law enforcement, training partners, raising public awareness, and ensuring accountability.
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While online predators have become a significant concern for parents seeking to protect their children, there are still many individuals who resort to offline methods to prey on children.
The Boy Scouts of America has faced numerous instances of child predators targeting children under its care. In 2022, the organization paid a substantial settlement to 82,000 victims who were abused as minors in its programs, amounting to over $2.5 billion in restitution to the victims.
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