Fugitive Is Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Acting on a tip, police in Joplin, Mo., have arrested a Canyon Country man who was on the U.S. Customs Service’s 10 most wanted list, on suspicion of transporting child pornography from Thailand, authorities said Wednesday.

Glenn Alan Nelson, 45, was arrested without incident Feb. 4, said Joseph Charles, assistant special agent in charge of the Los Angeles customs office. Nelson had attempted to conceal his identity by growing a beard, dying his hair and carrying false identification, Charles said.

Nelson had been a fugitive since June, 1992, when he fled from Los Angeles after federal authorities seized “numerous photographs” at his home in the 20000 block of Keaton Street of Thai boys engaged in sex acts, Charles said.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies arrested him the same day on suspicion of committing lewd acts with a child under 14, according to a joint statement released by local and federal law enforcement agencies.

An arrest warrant was issued for Nelson in connection with a 29-count federal indictment for child pornography, Charles said.

Nelson is suspected of hiring four boys in Bangkok to pose for pictures of sex acts with themselves and with Nelson, Charles said.

Before the June, 1992, arrest, Nelson worked as a probation officer at Camp Scudder in Saugus, a county youth camp. He was suspended for 30 days after his arrest.

Authorities believe that Nelson was part of an extensive underground network that trades, sells and shares photographs and videotapes of minors having sex, Charles said.

The investigation was a joint effort of the U.S. Customs Service, the Sheriff’s Department and the Royal Thai Police, he said.

Nelson waived extradition and was returned to Los Angeles by U.S. Federal Marshals late Friday, Charles said.

He is being held without bail at the federal Metropolitan Corrections Center in downtown Los Angeles, Charles said.