Man accused of child sex assault, told the children "not to tell or they'd go to jail"

Thomas Nelson



RACINE COUNTY (WITI) -- 28-year-old Thomas Nelson faces two charges of first-degree sexual assault of a child in Racine County. Those charges were filed against him on Wednesday, January 28th.

The criminal complaint indicates Nelson was staying at the Village of Caledonia home of a friend from August to November 2014 -- where the alleged incidents took place.

According to the complaint, the ex-wife of the Nelson's friend reached out to the Caledonia Police Department after she learned that Nelson "had recently been arrested for sexual assault of a child." The woman told officers she "became concerned due to Nelson having babysat her children," ages five and six.

The complaint details numerous instances in which Nelson allegedly had inappropriate contact with the two children. In an interview with police, one of the children said that "Tom locked toy handcuffs on my hand and stuck it to the door." He also told officers "Tom had told them 'not to tell' and further indicated that Tom told them 'not to tell or they'd go to jail.'"

If convicted, Nelson faces life in prison.

Nelson faces even more criminal charges in an earlier case. Those charges include child enticement, sexual assault of a child, false imprisonment and possession of THC.