Editor’s note: This article may contain disturbing content not suitable for children and/or those who are survivors of sexual or domestic violence. Please take care when reading.

ELLSWORTH – A Menomonie man who met an Ellsworth juvenile on Snapchat is accused of raping her and convincing her to send him nude photos.

Cobain Sage Nelson, 21, was ordered to pay $2,500 cash bond Jan. 27 in Pierce County Circuit Court on felony second degree sexual assault of child (repeater), felony child enticement – sexual contact (repeater), and felony possession of child pornography (repeater) charges. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and/or fines up to $100,000.

According to the complaint:

The Ellsworth High School principal called police on Jan. 10, 2025 to report that two students had come forward, expressing concern for another student who might have gotten pregnant by an 18-year-old man “not from here.” They saw two pregnancy tests on the victim’s camera roll; she also told them that she had “lot of pictures” of boys’ genitalia from their school and that she sent pictures of herself to someone she doesn’t even know. She was 15 at this time.

The child denied having sex when confronted or having inappropriate photos on her phone. When pressed, she became upset and said the man told her that if she didn’t do what he said, he’d make her have sex with him again. She met him when he added her on Snapchat.

The juvenile continued, saying she met up with the man the Tuesday before Thanksgiving 2024 at McDonald’s in Ellsworth because she didn’t want him coming to her house. She got into his car and they drove around for a while, ending up at Summit Park’s lower parking lot. He started kissing her and taking off her clothes. When she told him she was uncomfortable, he told her it was okay and if she told anyone he’d do it again. She said she was scared, so she went along with what he ordered her to do.

A search of her phone showed at least 13 nude photos of the juvenile sent to Nelson between Nov. 27, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024.

When police called Nelson, he claimed not to know where Ellsworth is. He denied knowing anyone in Ellsworth. When shown pictures from the victim’s phone she had taken of his car interior, he admitted the car was his. After being confronted with a selfie he had sent the girl, he told police he was done talking. He eventually admitted to lying but didn’t want to talk anymore.

On Jan. 15, 2025, police met with Nelson at the jail and read him his Miranda rights. Police informed him they knew he had tried to reach out to the girl after they spoke with him, and they obtained a search warrant for his phone.

He was on probation for a 2023 felony Dunn County property damage conviction.

Nelson’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Feb. 18.