Man Rapes 10 year old Autistic Child Gets 12 Years

 According to the Stillwater Police criminal complaint, Terry Scott Nelson was accused by the victim that she was raped. The victim was a ten year old female child. The child has Autism, PTSD, and anxiety baseline. The following year (2025) Terry was convicted of Criminal Sexual

Conduct 1st Degree.  His prison sentence is 144 months (12 years) but may be released after 10. Compared to other States this is a very weak sentence for destroying a child's life.

It's an utter shame that this story was never posted in the local media. Children are abused and raped quite frequently in Washington County (see below) and yet we're the only site posting the stories. 

According to a public safety tool by the nationally active child advocacy group Protect.org, Washington County ranks last in the metro and 50th in the state for strength of prosecution of child exploitation according to the non-partisan site. See the detailed data, for over ten years, the safety tool shows about any of the 87 counties in MN at https://protect.org/safetytool/      

See some of the many cases in the last several years of those convicted of supposedly harsh 1st or 2nd degree rape from Washington County:

Homicidal Rapist in Forest Lake Found With Child Porn Who Self Recorded Rape Now Convicted, Only 4 years  

Only 30 Days in Jail and Probation for Child Molester Who Had Sex with Lake Elmo Child 

Only a Year in Jail for Man who Gang Raped 14 Year Old Child in Woodbury

Man Who Repeatedly Raped a Child in Oakdale, Raped another Child While on Probation and Will be Out in 2 Years 

No Mandated Jail time for Convicted St Paul Park Man who Sexually Assaulted a Child  

Man Who Gang Raped Woodbury Child Only Gets 5 years Probation and 10 Months Prison 

Only 3.5 Years for Man Who Held Down & Raped Bayport Child While Taunting Her 

In Minnesota, left wing law makers and prosecutors believe child rapists can be "rehabilitated," do not need to be monitored, and can become good members of society. The evidence is the fact only several hundred of the over 20,000 convicted rapists in Minnesota are confined in prison. According the the BCA over 80% of rapists in MN are child rapists. Most only do a couple years and then are released without further monitoring. More information here:

Watchdog Review of Each of the Fifty States Sex Offender Laws Finds Minnesota Ranked the Most Unsafe  

If you hope to see any law change, continue to contact law makers.

Find your legislator here: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/districtfinder

It's clear that just because a child rapist is charged or convicted, doesn't mean justice will be served after sentencing if convicted. Therefore, if the punishment for ALL criminal sexual conduct crimes is raised than weak charges and convictions will be stronger. With the raised bar there won't be a thing as an outrageous plea deal to lesser rape charges or a weak sentence.

Tell legislators to also make the sex offender list public like nearly every other State in the Country does. All but MN, DC, and Maine have public lists. Maine only has 2,700 sex offenders in their state though. Compared to over 20,000 in MN. 

DATE: 5/6/2025 

DEFENDANT: Terry Scott Nelson 

DOB: 9/24/1974 

CITY/RESIDENCE: Stillwater, MN 

AGENCY: Stillwater Police Department 

JUDGE: Helen R. Brosnahan 

COURT NUMBER: 82-CR-24-2762 

CONVICTION: Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st Degree 

STATE REQUEST: Count 1: State Requested: Court Ordered: Commit to Commissioner of Corrections. 

SENTENCE: Count 1: State Requested: Court Ordered: Commit to Commissioner of Corrections; 144 months commit with 300 days credited; Conditional release after confinement of 10 year; $50 Fine with surcharge and fees payable within 3 months; Restitution ordered in the amount of $5852.74. etc

*In no way do we wish harm to the convicted sex offenders outside the judgement of the law. Posting each criminal's data allows the public to decide from the evidence if they appreciate knowing such data. Such as what these sex offender's last known address is. No representation is made that the individuals listed here are currently on the state's offenders registry. All names presented here were gathered at a past date. Some persons listed might no longer be registered offenders and others might have been added. Some addresses or other data might no longer be current. Owners of Washington County Watchdog assume no responsibility (and expressly disclaim responsibility) for updating this site to keep information current or to ensure the accuracy or completeness of any posted information. All data was only accurate at the time of posting per Government sources provided. Accordingly, you should confirm the accuracy and completeness of all posted information before making any decision related to any data presented on this site. The information on this web site is made available solely to protect the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability. Message us if you can verify us of an address or change in data.  Washington County Watchdog is not responsible for the accuracy of the content shared, refer to our linked government sources.