Dodge Center man gets 5-year sentence in child pornography, solicitation case

(ABC 6 News) – A Dodge Center man was sentenced Wednesday to a total of 60 months, or 5 years, at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud after pleading guilty to 5 counts of possession of child pornography.

Joseph Lee Carlson, 31, received an additional 5 years of probation after release.

He will receive credit for 372 days already spent in Olmsted County custody after his October 2022 arrest.

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(ABC 6 News) – A Dodge Center man pleaded guilty to multiple charges of possessing child pornography Thursday.

Joseph Lee Carlson, 31, was arrested on 3 charges of soliciting a minor and 10 charges of child porn possession in October of 2022, following a violence catfishing attempt by the self-styled “Midwest Predator Catcher” group.

RELATED: Dodge Center man arrested for child porn, solicitation – ABC 6 News – kaaltv.com

Dodge County charged Carlson with 10 more counts of child porn possession in November of 2022, after police claimed to find more images on Carlson’s phone post-arrest.

RELATED: UPDATE: Dodge Center man faces 10 more charges of child porn possession – ABC 6 News – kaaltv.com

On Thursday, July 13, Carlson pleaded guilty to five charges of child porn possession.

Three additional charges of child solicitation and the additional charges of child porn possession are to be dismissed at sentencing, according to his plea agreement.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Carlson is expected to receive a 4-5 year prison sentence, according to court documents.

However, Carlson’s defense will argue for a shortened or probation sentence, according to his plea agreement.

Carlson’s sentence is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Sept. 20.