No More Internet Use For Braidwood Man Caught By Predator Proof: Judge

JOLIET, IL — After spending two nights sleeping inside the Will County Jail, Braidwood's traveling to meet a minor and solicitation to meet a child criminal defendant Nathaniel Welch emerged from Will County Jail's, regaining his freedom, thanks to Will County Judge Ken Zelazo.

By dinner time last Wednesday, Welch walked out of the county jail and returned to his home in the community of Braidwood, where he lives in the 700 block of West Eureka Street. Although the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow argued Welch should remain in the Will County Jail, as part of the SAFE-T-Act, Judge Zelazo disagreed.

Instead, Judge Zelazo ordered Welch to remain on GPS monitoring as a condition of his pretrial release program.

"Defendant is to provide updated information from his mental health provider to pretrial services as agreed to by defendant," Welch's court files show.

Although Welch could have been detained for the traveling to meet a minor charge, Judge Zelazo checked the box on the court forms indicating, "there are conditions of pretrial release that can mitigate the real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons or the community or the risk of the defendant's willful flight to avoid prosecution."

The court files indicate Welch was ordered by the Will County judge to undergo an evaluation from a mental health provider and provide the paperwork at his next court date. Welch shall not use the internet in any manner, and he must provide email and social media accounts to pretrial services. "Court finds Defendant to be released on own recognizance," the judge declared.

According to Will County's prosecutors: on Feb. 5, officers with the Will County Forest Preserve were contacted by a member of the online group called Predator Proof, and he indicated that an unknown person was going to be present within the Forest Preserve to meet with a 15-year-old girl. Officers went to the area within the time frame and met with two members of Predator Proof, who pointed to Welch as the person to meet with the minor.

Officers made contact with Welch, who was already detained. Meanwhile, a Predator Proof member presented the police with text messages between himself and Welch in which the Predator Proof member pretended to be the underage girl, court files reflect.

"Texts included an explicit picture of his genitals and an indication that defendant Welch would bring cigarettes and condoms," prosecutors noted. "Defendant Welch made initial statements that he believed the female to be 18. Defendant placed in custody on scene."

Back at the forest preserve police department, Welch was advised of his rights and "made post Miranda admissions to knowing that the purported female was 15. Defendant also gave a written statement," prosecutors informed the judge.

Prosecutors noted that Welch's interactions with the police were captured on body worn cameras.

Welch's next hearing is set for Feb. 28 in Courtroom 405 of Judge David Carlson.