Grand Meadow hidden camera perpetrator argues against sex offender registration
Nicholas Sneed, 2022 / Mower County Jail Roster
(ABC 6 News) – A Grand Meadow man who hid cameras in bathrooms to film people will be sentenced in January, after arguing that he should not have to register as a sexual offender.
Nicholas Adam Sneed, 46, was accused of 12 child porn charges, three charges of interfering with privacy–hiding a surreptitious device, and various drug and firearm charges in 2022 and 2023.
He pleaded guilty to interfering with privacy, 5th-degree drug possession, and use of a controlled substance–possess firearm in exchange for a probation-only sentence with no jail time.
He was convicted of the charges immediately. Mower County judge Natalie Martinez presided.
Sneed was required to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation, and would be expected to follow any recommendations in it, per the plea agreement.
The Mower County attorney’s office dropped three charges of violent felon in possession of a firearm/ammunition, because Sheriff Steve Sandvik incorrectly issued Sneed a gun permit in 2021.
Sneed was scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20. However, his defense filed a memorandum Dec. 19 arguing that he should not have to register as a predatory offender or attend outpatient sex offender treatment.
Sneed was charged with 12 counts of possession of child pornography but did not plead guilty to any of them, the memorandum argues, and his placement of hidden cameras in bathrooms cannot be linked to the discovery of an SD card with sexual images of children under 14 in his garage.
The defense claims that two locations in Sneed’s home are completely different places and cannot be linked by time, date, or “underlying facts.”
Furthermore, Sneed should not have to register on the basis of his interference with privacy convictions, which are gross misdemeanors, his defense argued.
Sneed also works as a trucker with LC Trucking LLC.
His defense claims that asking him to attend in-person sex offender therapy would be burdensome, and thus he should be allowed to replace usual programming with individual therapy.
Sneed’s sentencing was rescheduled for Jan. 23, 2025.
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(ABC 6 News) – A Grand Meadow man accused of hiding cameras in his bathroom to film people, possession of child pornography–minor under 14, and firearm crimes pleaded guilty to 5 of his 21 Mower County charges ahead of trial.
Nicholas Adam Sneed, 46, was accused of 12 child porn charges, three charges of interfering with privacy–hiding a surreptitious device, and various drug and firearm charges in 2022 and 2023.
The Mower County attorney’s office dropped three charges of violent felon in possession of a firearm/ammunition, because Sheriff Steve Sandvik incorrectly issued Sneed a gun permit in 2021.
On Monday, May 20, Sneed pleaded guilty to two of his three gross misdemeanor charges of interfering with privacy.
Sneed also pleaded guilty to felony 5th-degree drug possession, and two gross misdemeanor charges of user of a controlled substance–possess firearm.
He was not convicted of any of the child pornography charges, according to Minnesota Court Records Online.
The details of Sneed’s plea agreement were not publicly available Monday.