Minnesota man accused of abducting 7-year-old girl at bus stop faces federal charges
An International Falls, Minnesota, man who is accused of abducting and sexually assaulting a 7-year-old Zimmerman girl now faces federal charges.
The U.S. Department of Justice says 29-year-old Joseph Bragg took the girl as she was walking home from her school bus stop in January. During the investigation, the girl's mother told police that she had a strange online interaction with Bragg a few weeks before.
Law enforcement tracked Bragg's phone, which showed that he was traveling south on Interstate 35 toward Iowa, the DOJ said. Authorities then issued an AMBER Alert, which led to 700 people and 200 law enforcement officers to look for her.
Bragg was arrested in Albert Lea, when an officer noticed a pickup truck matching the description in the AMBER Alert at a gas station. Police found the girl in the backseat, partially covered by a suitcase.
The DOJ said that the phone Bragg was carrying at the time contained several video and photo files depicting child sexual abuse material. They were able to identify a second victim in several of the files.
Sherburne County prosecutors also accused Bragg of taking the girl to a hotel in Plymouth, where he sexually assaulted her.
"As alleged in this indictment, Joseph Andrew Bragg is the very definition of a predator. When he allegedly abducted his young victim, we issued an AMBER Alert, and our agents worked urgently with local and federal investigators to find them, ultimately uncovering his scheme to access and target children," Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said.
Bragg was federally indicted Wednesday with one count of production of child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography, one count of kidnapping of a minor and one count of attempted transportation of a minor. He is also accused of kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct in Sherburne County.
Investigators believe there could be more victims relevant to the investigation. Anyone with information regarding Bragg is asked to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
Sexual Assault Resources
- (SOS – Ramsey County)
- Sexual Violence Center (SVC – Hennepin County)
- Aurora Center (U of MN)
- 360 Communities (Dakota County)
- Hope Center (Rice County)
- Canvas Health (Washington County)
- Alexandra House (Anoka County)
General Sites for information related to sexual assault and resources throughout Minnesota:
General Sexual Assault Websites:
If you know of a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the website.
