A former Oakdale police officer has been found guilty of misconduct, but acquitted of harassment charges in relation to repeated phone calls he made to a man with a history of mental health issues who was being surveilled due to an arrest warrant.
Charles Anthony Nelson, 44, was convicted on Wednesday of falsifying documents, a gross misdemeanor, for failing to disclose the calls in his report about the 2022 incident. However, he was acquitted of misdemeanor harassment charges, which prosecutors argued were intentional and caused the man to exit his home with a shotgun, potentially putting himself and others at risk.
Nelson's defense team claimed that he made the phone calls to help the man who had been experiencing a mental health crisis, citing his own experience with mental illness. They also pointed out that prior officers, including Nelson's partner Andrew Dickman, seemed to know about the calls.
In contrast, prosecutors argued that Nelson intentionally harassed the man through the 30+ calls and failed to identify himself when the man answered, which exacerbated the situation. The jury ultimately agreed with Nelson's defense team, finding him not guilty of harassment but guilty of misconduct.
Nelson was put on paid leave following the September 2022 incident and resigned from the police department in March the following year. He had been an officer since December 2006. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13.
It's worth noting that Nelson used a phone app to disguise his number during the calls, which were reported to Washington County dispatch and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The man reported receiving repeated calls from Nelson, but the officer denied making them when he called back.
Charles Anthony Nelson, 44, was convicted on Wednesday of falsifying documents, a gross misdemeanor, for failing to disclose the calls in his report about the 2022 incident. However, he was acquitted of misdemeanor harassment charges, which prosecutors argued were intentional and caused the man to exit his home with a shotgun, potentially putting himself and others at risk.
Nelson's defense team claimed that he made the phone calls to help the man who had been experiencing a mental health crisis, citing his own experience with mental illness. They also pointed out that prior officers, including Nelson's partner Andrew Dickman, seemed to know about the calls.
In contrast, prosecutors argued that Nelson intentionally harassed the man through the 30+ calls and failed to identify himself when the man answered, which exacerbated the situation. The jury ultimately agreed with Nelson's defense team, finding him not guilty of harassment but guilty of misconduct.
Nelson was put on paid leave following the September 2022 incident and resigned from the police department in March the following year. He had been an officer since December 2006. Sentencing is scheduled for February 13.
It's worth noting that Nelson used a phone app to disguise his number during the calls, which were reported to Washington County dispatch and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The man reported receiving repeated calls from Nelson, but the officer denied making them when he called back.
and yet he still managed to get in trouble with falsifying documents... like who needs accountability, right? 
it's always the little things that matter, not the big picture where people's lives are literally on the line 
. Newsflash: it's not your problem, Charles! 
30+ calls isn't "help", that's stalking! 
. So, apparently he made like 30+ phone calls to a guy who was being surveilled due to an arrest warrant, and now he's guilty of misconduct but acquitted of harassment charges 
. I don't get why the defense team thought it was okay for him to not disclose these calls in his report tho? 
. The fact that he used a phone app to disguise his number and made those calls without identifying himself is super suspicious 
. Glad the jury saw through the defense team's excuse and found him guilty of misconduct tho 
. Now let's hope he gets the right sentencing for this 
.
. Like, who makes 30+ phone calls to someone with mental health issues? 
. I'm just glad the jury wasn't buying that defense 
. It's like, if you're gonna help someone, do it in person or something 
. Using a phone app to hide your number is still pretty sketchy 
. I'm not sure what's more concerning - the fact that he was making these calls or that he didn't report them himself 
. The fact that he got acquitted of harassment charges though is just so messed up 
I mean the guy had a shotgun in his house because of those calls, it's crazy! I hope Nelson gets a decent sentence when sentencing day comes around 
this whole thing is super weird... like, if someone's calling you 30+ times saying "hey, I'm watching you" without even identifying themselves, that's definitely harassment right? 
This guy's defense team is like "our guy was just trying to help" – kinda like how my ex tried to help me move out (just kidding, don't try that). Seriously though, using a phone app to disguise his number? Sounds like something my kid would do when they're on their first phone 
. It feels like justice wasn't served for that poor guy who was already struggling with his mental health. I mean, 30+ phone calls can be super overwhelming and scary, you know? And to make matters worse, the officer didn't even disclose those calls when he wrote up the report... that's just some serious neglect of duty 
.
! 30+ phone calls to a guy in crisis? That's just crazy talk 
. I know his defense team tried to spin it as him trying to help, but let's be real, there's a fine line between helping and harassment 
. Now the question is what happens next - sentencing in Feb 
. Now hes gotta deal with sentencing and hopefully gets some time off his record 
. This whole thing is just a total mess, can't believe the cops got away with this one 