Faribault man charged in kidnapping, robbery
Published 3:13 pm Saturday, July 29, 2017
A Faribault man who allegedly participated in the kidnapping and robbery of another person earlier this month in Freeborn County was charged with three felonies on Thursday.
Kenneth Bruce Nelson, 39, was charged with kidnapping, first-degree aggravated robbery and false imprisonment in Freeborn County District Court.
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Kenneth Bruce Nelson
Court documents state Nelson was charged after law enforcement investigated a report of an assault on July 17 — the same day the alleged incident took place.
The alleged victim stated he traveled with another person in a vehicle to a residence in the Albert Lea area July 16, falling asleep after he drove the vehicle into a large shed on the property.
He reported he was woken up early in the morning of July 17 by a man beating on the dashboard of the vehicle. The person allegedly struck the alleged victim in the back of the head with a timing chain and punched him twice in the left eye. Nelson allegedly punched the alleged victim once on the left side of his face. The name of the other alleged perpetrator has not been released, since he has not been charged yet in connection with the incident. Charges are possible against the other alleged perpetrator, according to the Freeborn County Attorney’s Office.
The two allegedly moved the alleged victim to the back seat of the vehicle and attempted to tie him up with plastic zip ties, court documents state. The alleged victim said he was able to break free from the zip ties, so they tied him up by his hands and feet with an extension cord. They allegedly went through the vehicle, asking him “where all the dope was at,” court documents state.
The alleged victim — who reported “he had already gotten rid of all of the dope he had,” court documents state — was reportedly threatened by the other alleged perpetrator with a pistol while he was assaulted, and the alleged perpetrators reportedly stole a CD player and front passenger and driver’s side speakers from the doors. The other alleged perpetrator reportedly broke the back window of the vehicle and searched the alleged victim, finding $2,250 in cash and one-fourth to one-half of a gram of methamphetamine, before placing the alleged victim in the back of his vehicle.
Court documents state the alleged victim said they traveled into Albert Lea. He reportedly said he was able to exit the vehicle and hop away, since his legs were still bound. The alleged perpetrators reportedly left after he called for help.
An agent later observed the alleged victim had sustained a black left eye and skin abrasions on his wrists, court documents state. The agent reportedly saw the extension cord the alleged victim was able to break free from on the 200 block of South First Avenue — the area where he said he was able to untie himself.
District Court Judge Steve Schwab set conditional bail at $100,000. Nelson’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 10.