Oregon man found guilty of stalking and soliciting Brunswick girl

BRUNSWICK — An Oregon man was found guilty on two counts for stalking and soliciting sexual activity from a Brunswick girl. Timothy Nielsen, 43, of Gresham, Oregon, was found guilty of two counts of menacing by stalking and one count of importuning at a jury trial on Wednesday, according to Medina County Prosecutor Forrest Thompson. According to the Ohio Revised Code, menacing by stalking occurs when someone knowingly acts in a way that would make a person believe that the offender will cause them or their family emotional or physical harm, and it is a fourth-degree felony. Importuning is a third-degree felony where someone solicits sexual activity from a minor. The prosecutor's office said on Thursday, Nielsen was sentenced to the maximum possible sentence of four and a half years in prison, and afterward he will have five years of post-release control. It is mandatory that he register as a tier 1 sex offender. On July 28, Brunswick police officers responded to the 4600 block of Cypress Drive for a report of a suspicious male who was identified as Nielsen. He was arrested and transported to the Medina County Jail. The police investigation found that he traveled from Oregon to Brunswick to find and meet with a local juvenile girl. Police said he began to follow and attempted to contact the juvenile on various social media platforms. When the Brunswick Division of Police first released information on the case, they encouraged parents to monitor any social media and contacts that their children have and requested residents contact the police at (330) 225-9111 for any suspicious activity that is seen in the community.