Developments in Dodge County child porn, solicitation case and self-proclaimed ‘predator catcher’ assault charges

By KAALTV

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(ABC 6 News) – A Dodge Center man arrested for child solicitation and a member of the vigilante group that attempted to “expose” him each appeared in court Thursday, Feb. 2.

Joseph Carlson, 30, was arrested in October of 2022, following both a monthslong child pornography investigation by Dodge County law enforcement and a filmed encounter where members of Midwest Predator Catchers, a self-styled vigilante group, accused him of soliciting a 14-year-old on social media.

Carlson now faces 20 charges of possession of child pornography, as well as three charges of soliciting a minor.

Joseph Carlson / Olmsted County Adult Detention Center

Carlson appeared for a scheduled pretrial Thursday, but his court case was delayed until April 19, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. He will remain in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on $250,000 bail in the interim.

Chase Taner Johnston / Olmsted County Adult Detention Center

Chase Taner Johnston, 28, is a member of the self-styled “predator catcher” group who was charged with 5th-degree assault after the group’s encounter with Carlson.

Johnston was accused of spitting on Carlson during the encounter.

Johnston’s trial for 5th-degree assault is scheduled for May 22, 2023.

Johnston pleaded guilty to domestic assault in October of 2022 and was sentenced to one year of supervised probation.

In his plea deal, Johnston admitted to pushing a woman and causing her head to hit a wall. An additional charge of domestic assault and charges of terroristic threats and interfering with a 9-1-1 call were dismissed in exchange for Johnston’s plea.

He faces further assault charges after allegedly assaulting another man during a catfishing attempt where Johnston pretended to be a teenager seeking advice on coming out to his parents.

According to court documents, the fake teenaged account run at least in part by Johnston invited a Rochester man to his home, and the man offered to meet at a public gas station instead.

When the man arrived at the gas station, Johnston allegedly accused the man of soliciting a minor, hit him on the shoulder, face, and groin area, and threatened him.

Witnesses at the gas station told law enforcement they also saw evidence that Johnston slit the man’s tire.

According to court documents, the man later received a message from the false social media account, threatening him further if he did not drop assault charges against Johnston.

Johnston faces charges of 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct–nonconsensual sexual conduct, 5th-degree assault, and 4th-degree damage to property.

Olmsted County Court ordered that Johnston’s jury trial be scheduled after his hearing Thursday, Feb. 2.