Richmond parolee back in jail on sex trafficking charges

RICHMOND, Calif. (KTVU) - A Richmond man on parole for attempted murder is now back in jail on sex trafficking charges. 
Investigators say he used social media to recruit a teenaged girl into prostitution. 

Mychal Duane Nelson spent 14 years in a state prison for attempted murder. 

He hadn't been out for long before federal and local law enforcement agencies were tracking him up and down the state for a sex trafficking investigation.

Instagram is used as a modern day recruitment resource for pimps in search of young, underage girls.

Contra Costa County's human trafficking prosecutor, Dana Filkowski says that's how 34-year-old Mychal Nelson communicated with a 16-year-old girl and encouraged her to engage in prostitution.

“As he sends her sexually explicit images of himself he's asking her to do the same. She did respond with similar images. Not as graphic as he was sending and not as graphic as he was requesting, but that again is the slow erosion of those barriers in sexualizing a child,” said Filkowski. 

All this alleged to have happened while he was on state parole. In 2004, Nelson shot two people in the parking lot of this Stop and Shop.

In 2005, he was convicted of two counts of attempted murder and active participation in a North Richmond street gang.

The Richmond man is now facing seven felony charges including human trafficking of a minor for sex.

“He was arraigned this morning on the charges and is held on $2 million bail," said Filkowski. 

Filkowski says they believe the victim in this case is now safe, but say there could be more out there. 

“Evidence in this case suggests that there were other women that were being encouraged to engage in commercial sex,” she said.

This case is a startling reminder for parents to get as involved as possible in their child's social media activity.

“Every parent should have a conversation with their kids about what they would you do if someone that [they] met online asked you to go somewhere for a meeting because those kids who leave, may not come back,” said Filkowski.

Prosecutors say parents should be aware of some red flags for recruitment like teens possessing hotel keys, a second cell phone or items that the parents haven’t purchased.

Anyone with information should contact Sr. Insp. Kevin Coelho at 925-957-8629.