Flip Nelson Charged with Child Exploitation, Tyler TX, 2014

TYLER, Texas — A 31-year-old convicted sex offender from Tyler, Texas, known as Flip Nelson, has been indicted on child exploitation charges for transporting minors across state lines for prostitution. U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced the charges today.

Nelson, 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Mar. 26, 2014, and faces charges including transportation of minors, transportation, and penalties for registered sex offenders. The indictment claims that Nelson transported individuals, including two minors, across state lines in November and December 2013 with the intent that they engage in prostitution.

If convicted of all counts, Nelson could face life in federal prison. This case is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006.

Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and identify and rescue victims. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The investigation into Nelson was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (DHS-HSI), the Louisiana State Police, the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, and several other local law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld is prosecuting the case.

It is important to note that an indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt, and all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.