MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen today announced the unsealing of a federal grand jury indictment charging Joseph Andrew Bragg with the January 21, 2026, alleged Kidnapping and Attempted Transportation of a minor victim. He is also charged with the alleged Production and Possession of Child Pornography involving a second minor victim.According to state and federal court documents, on January 21, 2026, a minor child under the age of 10, Victim 1, returned home to the usual school bus drop-off at approximately 3:53 p.m. The drop-off location was a block from Victim 1’s home. Video surveillance confirmed that Victim 1 started walking toward her home, then turned around and walked back the way she had come. Victim 1 did not arrive home and Victim 1’s mother reported her missing that afternoon. Victim 1’s mother reported having an unusual online interaction approximately two weeks earlier with a Facebook profile username “Joseph Bragg.” The individual alleged he worked in childcare and asked if she or anyone she knew was looking for babysitting services. Victim 1’s mother reported feeling uncomfortable and ultimately blocking the individual. Further investigation identified the Facebook profile as belonging to Joseph Andrew Bragg. Law enforcement developed a phone number for Bragg and found that he had rented a vehicle with Tennessee (TN) license plates associated. Location tracking data showed that Bragg’s phone number and the rental vehicle were traveling together south on Interstate 35 moving toward Iowa. Just after midnight on January 22, 2026, a sergeant with the Albert Lea Police Department stopped a vehicle matching the description of the rental vehicle after confirming that it bore the same TN license plate as the suspect vehicle. Bragg was identified as the driver. He told police that he was driving a rental and that he was on his way to Arkansas. Police saw a minor female in the backseat of the vehicle partially covered by a red suitcase. The minor was removed and confirmed to be Victim 1. Further investigation revealed that the phone Bragg possessed the night of Victim 1’s kidnapping contained several video and photo files depicting child sexual abuse material of multiple minor victims. Victim 2 was positively identified in several of those files.Bragg made his initial appearance in District Court on May 28, where the Court ordered him detained. “The allegations set forth in this indictment are every parent’s worst nightmare,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Joseph Bragg allegedly abducted a young child, took her from the love and safety of her home and family, and tried to take her out of the state for his own purposes. Separately, the child sexual abuse material allegedly produced and possessed by Bragg are despicable evidence of a terrifying sexual interest in children. The FBI is dedicated to stopping child predators, keeping children safe, and bringing offenders to justice. In partnership with the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office and the BCA, we did just that. I hope the fact that the alleged offender will answer for these allegations in federal court helps to restore a sense of safety to victims.” “As alleged in this indictment, Joseph Andrew Bragg is the very definition of a predator. When he allegedly abducted his young victim, we issued an AMBER Alert, and our agents worked urgently with local and federal investigators to find them, ultimately uncovering his scheme to access and target children,” Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said…
Source: U.S. Department of Justice