Williston man sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexual exploitation of minors

BISMARCK, N.D. (KXNET) — A 29-year-old Williston man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison after it was revealed that he sexually exploited several underage children in and outside of North Dakota.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide program designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Nesdahl’s conduct involved befriending minors through social media and getting them to produce images and videos of themselves in the nude or engaging in other sexual activities.

This behavior was first discovered and reported to law enforcement by a parent of two victims in Pennsylvania, which then led to a search of his home in Williston. During that search, it was discovered that Nesdahl had abused at least seven other minors between the ages of 6 and 15 in North Dakota, Minnesota, Maryland, Texas, and New Jersey.

Nesdahl was charged with seven counts of producing or attempting to produce images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors in the District of North Dakota, and two counts of the same production in the Western District of Pennsylvania. He was sentenced to 30 years in a federal prison for the ND charges and 20 years in a federal prison for the PA charges, with life parole to follow.

“This 50-year sentence is appropriate given the defendant’s abhorrent and outrageous treatment of children,” said U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider. “Protecting children is our highest priority, and our partners at the state, federal, and local levels will use cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned investigative work to catch child molesters offline and bring them to justice in federal court.”

“Nesdahl’s online behavior, while reprehensible, is similar to that of many sex offenders who exploit minors through social media,” added Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “This poses a significant threat to our communities. Parents, guardians and educators should understand that online apps that can send messages and share photos or videos can lead their children into a world where they may be at risk. It is very important that adults speak with children and provide supervision to ensure they are not exposed to environments where they may be exposed to sex offenders. Congratulations to our Special Agents and law enforcement partners for bringing Nesdahl to justice.”

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, click here. For resources for survivors or victims of sexual exploitation, visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, visit the CyperTipline website, or call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).