In the Boy Scout community, a former volunteer has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for hiding cameras in camp bathrooms. David Lee Nelson, 41, of Redmond, Washington, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel in St. Louis, Missouri.
Nelson, who pleaded guilty in January to two counts of production of child pornography and two counts of attempted production of child pornography, was also ordered to pay $55,000 in special assessments for a fund dedicated to victims and prevention programs, and $6,810 for the victims' counseling.
The incident occurred at the S Bar F Scout Ranch in St. Francois County, Missouri, where Nelson was volunteering in July 2021. He concealed two cameras in paper towel dispensers in the bathrooms, strategically positioning them to capture the shower stalls and other areas of the bathroom.
The discovery of the cameras was made when a scout leader and scouts were cleaning one of the restroom stalls. This led to a search that uncovered a second camera, prompting the leaders to contact the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department.
Nelson was later spotted near the bathrooms by a scout leader. When questioned by a sheriff’s deputy, he falsely claimed he was searching for a misplaced cell phone charger in the stall. However, the hidden cameras' recordings revealed Nelson's involvement.
During the sentencing hearing, victims and their parents expressed their deep sense of betrayal. They emphasized that Nelson was supposed to be a protector, someone the children could trust. "Nelson’s crimes have now left them unable to trust others," they said. The victims also reported experiencing fear and discomfort when using public bathrooms.
The case was investigated by the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake. It was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
More for you:
