University resident assistant faces child pornography charge
Patrick Nielsen, a Utah State University resident assistant appeared Tuesday in front of 1st District Court Judge Kevin Allen to face a Sexual Exploitation of a Minor charge, a second-degree felony.
24-year-old Nielsen was arrested by members of the Logan City Police Department after an IP address on his computer was linked to child pornography by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a group run by the Utah Attorney General’s Office, said Logan City Police Capt. Tyson Budge.
Budge also said the LCPD is in the process of writing another warrant for Nielsen’s electronic devices, which would be sent to the Utah State Crime Lab to search for forensic evidence.
Nielsen will be represented by Bryan Galloway, a court-appointed public defender.
Evidence in the case will be presented at a hearing scheduled to take place June 26.
An updated version of this story can be found here.
— alisonberg28@gmail.com
@alison__berg
Photo courtesy of the Cache County Sheriff’s Office
I understand the purpose of publishing stuff like this as quickly as possible, but it seems like there is not enough information to justify publishing this article. All we seem to know is that the IP address was linked to child pornography, but we don’t know anything about what that link is. Was this link from viewing it, downloading it, accidentally clicking on it? We don’t seem to know.
It’d be a shame if his reputation were destroyed if he were found to be innocent of wrongdoing.
I may be new to journalism ethics, but did you follow the rules when it came to taking the booking photograph?
https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title17/Chapter22/17-22-S30.html
Per that document, it’s OK unless “removal of the booking photograph from the publication or website requires the payment of a fee or other consideration,” which we don’t require. So I would say yes. It’s not uncommon for media outlets to use booking photos in stories about crime and there are no barriers to obtaining these photos that would indicate their use is not permissible. Thanks for reading. – Alyssa Roberts, News Content Manager
This seems awfully quick to post a picture on someone. If he isn’t guilty, this could ruin his life.
Is there any follow-up or are we just tarnishing his name for clicks and then neglecting to share the outcome?
No update?
It’s amazing that there has been no follow up for this article. It’s just … sitting here.