Man Charged With Kidnapping, Sex Assault in MN AMBER Alert Case
Zimmerman, MN (MinnesotaNow) - The charges brought against the man arrested for the abduction of a young girl in central Minnesota on Wednesday state that he apparently sought out the child’s mother on Facebook last month.
The criminal complaint filed today in Sherburne County Court charges 28-year-old Joseph Bragg of Maple Grove with kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct. His conditional bail is set at $2 million.
Statewide AMBER Alert
Bragg was arrested early Thursday after a statewide AMBER Alert was issued for the missing girl. The criminal complaint alleges that he grabbed the child after she got off her school bus Wednesday afternoon. Her mother reported her missing around 6:30 that evening after she did not return home. The mother contacted other family members and learned the child was not with them. That led to searches by law enforcement and hundreds of volunteers and the issuance of the AMBER Alert Wednesday night.
Arrested Near Albert Lea
The criminal complaint says investigators later identified a possible suspect vehicle, which was located along I-35 in Freeborn County by Albert Lea police. Bragg was arrested after the missing child was found inside the vehicle, which was stopped about 12 miles from the Iowa border and nearly 140 miles from Zimmerman, where the alleged abduction occurred.
Victim Transported to Twin Cities Hotel
According to the charges, investigators determined that Bragg used a Lyft service to transport the victim from a residence in a western Minneapolis suburb in Plymouth. Court documents say surveillance cameras at the hotel recorded video of Bragg entering the building carrying a large red suitcase that “appeared difficult for him to handle.” Another video shows him leaving the hotel with the same suitcase approximately 30 minutes later.
Following Bragg’s arrest in Freeborn County, the criminal complaint says the young victim told investigators she had been sexually assaulted at the hotel.
Facebook Connection
The criminal complaint also details how Bragg became a suspect in the case. It says the girl’s mother informed investigators that she had “an unusual online interaction” in December on Facebook with a person identifying himself as Joseph Bragg. The mother indicated that the person added her as a friend in early December, and she initially accepted because she thought she recognized him as a relative or associate.
She told law enforcement the communications included questions about herself and whether she had children. The person indicated a desire to engage in activities with children and explained that he worked in child care. The girl’s mother says he also asked if she knew of anyone in her area looking for child care services before she ultimately blocked him on Facebook.
Bragg’s next court appearance has not been scheduled.
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Gallery Credit: Minnesota Now