Tom Flocco | March 28, 2005

Lincoln, NE - Recently arrested photographer Russell E. "Rusty" Nelson--who according to U.S. District court testimony [2-5-1999] was impersonated by another photographer at Capitol Hill child sex parties during the Reagan and Bush presidencies, told us last week that in 1988 he refused Hunter Thompson’s offer of $100,000 to film a graphic child sex "snuff movie to be sold to wealthy private clients where a young boy would be murdered as a sacrifice." 

"I’ve been homeless, in hiding and staying under the radar screen ever since," said Nelson. 

Thompson reportedly committed suicide a few weeks ago on February 10, 2005--six days prior to Nelson’s February 16 arrest, when simultaneous search warrants were served to confiscate Nelson’s photographic equipment, computers, photos and "visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct involving a child," according to copies we obtained. Nelson said authorities were hoping to find evidence of child porn; but he claims to have never been involved. His next public hearing is May 4 in Lincoln. 

Nelson enhanced his credibility in sworn testimony before Nebraska U.S. Senior District Judge Warren Urbom on February 5, 1999 [pp. 101-154] resulting in Urbom awarding attorney John DeCamp's client--pedophile victim Paul Bonacci, $1 million dollars in damages for sexual abuse in a case against convicted GOP activist Larry King , who sang the national anthem at the 1984 and 1988 Republican national conventions. 

An employee at Lincoln’s DeCamp Legal Services told TomFlocco.com that the warrant’s actual violation date was September 1, 2003 [just prior to the 2004 presidential primary season], but it was not served until February 16, 2005--calling into question why authorities waited so long. 

Questions can also be raised as to whether Hunter Thompson’s death and the James Guckert-Jeff Gannon White House reporter scandal resulted in having Nelson taken out of circulation to intimidate or threaten him while also using the opportunity to search for criminal evidence--the kind which would place sitting and retired members of congress in severe legal jeopardy. 

The revelations came during an unexpected phone call from Nelson, 42, who also told TomFlocco.com he personally witnessed Secret Service agents arrive at King’s Embassy Row mansion in Washington to set up security two days prior to a private child sex party attended by senators and congressmen he declined to name. The party was held immediately after a public political reception in October, 1988--just prior to the Bush-Dukakis presidential election. 

Presidential limousine 

On the night of the two parties, Nelson said he saw a limousine arrive for the second party--attended by young children. He was told that it was the presidential limo, adding that he saw "several Secret Service agents guarding the vehicle from the time it arrived at 9-10 pm until it pulled away from King’s home after midnight." 

In addition to children, the mostly male "after-party" was attended by members of congress and other businessmen according to Nelson, who declined to tell us when we asked if President Reagan or Vice President Bush had arrived in the limo, saying "I will only tell which one it was, or the names of senators and congressmen in a courtroom." 

When we asked during a second phone interview whether there was concrete evidence to corroborate his allegations, Nelson said "there are many photographs showing members of congress in fairly explicit--but not pornographic--poses with children." 

"The one impersonating me at the sex parties--a guy named Nick--took the hardcore porn photos of children and politicians together for blackmail purposes, to control their votes in Congress and stuff," said the photographer. 

Nelson said "I found out from my sources that about 23 children who attended those parties are now dead; and the politicians would really have a lot of explaining to do if the pictures ever got out--especially to their parents; but they won’t unless something happens to me." 

When we asked Nelson whether he would ever offer sworn testimony and take a polygraph test to legally certify his more specific but explosive claims, the photographer said, "In a heartbeat; but no judge, grand jury or congressmen ever asked me about this stuff. And there are many grown kids out there, too scared to talk about it." 

Nelson’s voice and general conversation indicated resignation to the fact that no one would ever touch his testimony, adding that Senate and House pedophiles still hold public office. This, in spite of the prosecution and imprisonment of elderly Catholic priests. 

Nelson corroborated our earlier interview with attorney and Franklin Cover-up author John DeCamp [decamplegal@inebraska.com], revealing that about 20-30 senators and congressmen attended and participated in mostly male pedophile sex parties at King’s mansion during the Reagan-Bush 41 administrations --but neither would name names. 

DeCamp told us, "I can’t talk about that now. Bad things happen." 

Nelson and Decamp also said that retired Los Angeles FBI Special Agent Ted Gunderson flew to Nebraska to assist the photographer; and Nelson told us Gunderson secured cash from an unidentified individual who paid to have him released on bail before his next public hearing on May 4. Nelson said he is worried, remains homeless, and is served legally by a public defender. 

DeCamp said Gunderson has taken "a personal interest in Nelson and the Franklin case, and he’s a good friend." 

MIT and the U.S. Army 

Ensnared as a fall-guy for what the Washington Times called a White House and congressional child sex ring, the Nebraska photographer said the warrants were used to locate photo evidence of Capitol Hill pedophilia, but Nelson just wants to get on with his life. 

Rusty Nelson told us he attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for two years, studying electronic engineering in the early 1980’s: "Photography was my hobby or key interest, and I was offered so much money, I left school to work for a phone company, building microwave radio stations, tower dishes--it was more money than I could have earned with an MIT degree; and it got me out into the mountains where I could also do photo shows and scenic art." 

"The company got bought out, so I entered the Army for a couple years as a wire climber who wired phones and I got out in 1986," said Nelson, adding, "I was approached by people connected to Larry King because of my photography work in the Lincoln area and pretty soon I started going with him to Washington, DC to do various photo jobs--but I never did anything pornographic." 

Front-man for the fall 

"My problems started at King’s Embassy Row mansion in January through June, 1988 when they were trying to bring me into the inner circle at Bohemian Grove and the room in Larry’s mansion--the sex parties--when I saw the other guy impersonating me--supposedly without my knowledge," he said. 

"At about that time [age 23-24], I was broke, homeless, with hardly even a few dollars in my wallet--I depended on Larry for a room and food; but I was on his jet with little kids and I saw children sold to the highest bidder at an auction--that‘s when I really started to get scared," added the photographer and eyewitness to Capitol Hill crimes still unpunished. 

Nelson’s U.S. District Court testimony weaves a curious tale regarding his impersonation so that abducted children and others would identify him as the child porn photographer should it be necessary: 

"Q: How did you come to know Larry King?...I needed to find a decent job and he [Ron, who hired Rusty Nelson for photos at club named Max‘s] goes ‘I know somebody who probably be able to use a good photographer, I’ll talk to him...All of a sudden, here’s Larry King, I had no idea who he was...and next thing I’m on a private jet to Washington, DC and just lavishly being spent money on, clothes..." Q: How old were you?...About 24, 25...maybe 23...Q: Did you function as a photographer for Larry?...Oh, yes. Q: What did you photograph? Things like the opening of Prince’s Palace, a restaurant, a jazz club he started...took pictures at his mansion on Embassy Row...he kept wanting me to do kiddie porn, gay porn. I wanted no part of it...he went to the extent of insisting I wear certain clothes, my hair had to be a certain way...Nancy Reagan’s hairdresser [Robin Weir] did my hair. Permed it, everything, totally changed my appearance...I happened to come across a man who was also a photographer for Larry. Whose appearance was almost identical to mine...I came to gather I was being run as the front man for the fall and this other person was doing the actual hard core kiddie porn...I heard somebody was passing themselves off as myself, as Rusty Nelson..." [U.S. District Court, Nebraska, U.S. Senior District Judge Warren Urbom, February 5, 1999, Sworn testimony of Russell E. Nelson, pp. 40-43] 

Nelson added, "I saw this guy [Nick] dressed exactly like me on three different occasions," adding, "whenever we were in the same area, Larry would quickly get him out of there. He even had the identical camera I had." 

"One night in the spring of 1988 on K street in Washington, I’m sound asleep and a guy knocks on the door and says ‘I just bought you from Larry and you’re mine for the night,’ "said Nelson, who continued, "I climbed out the second story window and ran. This was not long before the presidential election when Franklin Credit Union was raided."

"Nancy Reagan’s hairdresser, Robin Weir, did my hair. Permed it, everything...totally changed my appearance..."

"I was so scared. I lived in hiding for eight years, never stayed anywhere for more than three weeks or so usually; did odd jobs, washed windows--hotels, restaurants to get something to live on; I was shot at and wanted to keep under the radar," said Nelson.

Silencing the witness

Nelson had by then settled in Portland, Oregon; and about six weeks before the Clinton-Dole presidential election on Friday, September 13, 1996, Nelson said he was finally arrested on the charge he used a child for the display of sexually explicit conduct.

"I never did it," said Nelson, adding, "they had no photos and if they did, they wouldn't show me the photos they were using to put me away. So I held out; but they set my bail for $873,000 cash, and finally put me in solitary confinement for 22.5 months on a 13 month sentence after I gave in to just get it over with."

"I pleaded no contest for a photo of a minor in a sexually explicit pose without any photos or proof--and no person bringing the charges. I didn’t even know the accuser and I still don’t; but they just said it was a minor," he said.

Knowing the political and criminal implications of a child sex scandal, higher powers had enough motives to keep Rusty Nelson in solitary confinement--an unnecessary and unusual punishment normally reserved for hardened criminals.

But 1996 GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole’s wife [now North Carolina Senator] Elizabeth Dole, had an aide who was closely linked to the Washington call-boy ring, so there is reason to believe it was important to keep Nelson incommunicado and in solitary confinement.

A news report confirmed why Nelson was likely taken off the street: "A top Labor Department advisor to Secretary Elizabeth Dole resigned yesterday after acknowledging that he had procured male prostitutes and was subject to blackmail threats by one of the call boys." [Washington Times, 6-30-1989--The paper had previously reported that a 15-year old call-boy had toured the White House at midnight.]

In a letter announcing his resignation as Mrs. Dole’s political personnel liaison to the White House, Paul R. Balach wrote: "I hereby resign my position this date due to the public disclosure of activities concerning my personal life."

Not mentioning either children or members of congress, the Times added, "according to documents obtained, the homosexual prostitution ring includes not only Reagan and Bush administration officials but military officers, congressional aides and U.S. foreign businessmen with close social ties to Washington’s ‘political elite.’ " 

Attempts to find photos of high government officials

Nelson told us, "While I was in jail, the FBI went to my parents’ farm in Nebraska and took sledge hammers to the walls, shot out all the windows and appliances of our barn, ransacked my parents house without a warrant on two separate occasions--looking for stuff related to Franklin, evidence--the photos; but I was not shooting kiddie porn."

"There were military shell casings all over our property," he said. 

"And when I had to leave Portland to go testify in Nebraska, state parole officers did everything they could to keep me from testifying before Judge Urbom," said Nelson, adding, "they said I was in solitary to protect me but it was more like torture since they woke me up so much I never got any sleep, spent $50,000 to extradite me back to Oregon for a DNA sample, then put me on death row at Leavenworth prison for a few weeks with violent criminals--heck, I saw them beat one guy and four men died while I was at Moltnomah County Detention Center in Portland." 

"This last arrest [after the Thompson suicide] in February, I was roughed up, pushed into walls, and they would not let me see their badge numbers; I was helping a friend open up her photography studio--that’s the only way I can earn money to survive," he said. 

"They said I was soliciting a minor for photographs; but we were only looking for a few junior bridesmaids for a bridal show promotion with other women. And the parents were all involved and were always required to sign releases and be present for all photo shoots. We did nothing wrong. I am good at wedding photography and you can earn good money in that business," Nelson continued, adding "how else am I able to work?"

Nelson’s prior links to the White House child sex ring have continued to draw attention from unidentified individuals who still threaten him.

"In the spring of 2003 [not long after key child sex ring witness Troy Boner was found mysteriously dead in a New Mexico hospital], a guy wearing dark sunglasses came up to me and said, ‘Drop Franklin; you’re in too deep. Your family and life are in jeopardy.’ Then he walked away."

Even more recently, on October 22, 2004 [two weeks before George W. Bush edged out John F. Kerry for the presidency], Delmart "Mike" Vreeland was arrested in Franklin county, Iowa on charges of child prostitution allegedly committed in Colorado.

Vreeland is now off the street, however, reportedly in solitary confinement with no contact with other prisoners after having been said to have predicted the 9/11 attacks in a note written while he was previously in prison on other charges.

While the rest of the country reels from relatively frequent amber alerts in Florida and around the United States, evidence continues to point toward reasons for commencing an amber alert on Capitol Hill--what some would say is the epicenter of child sex criminality.