AZ Supreme Court employee arrested for luring minor for sex

GILBERT, Ariz. (KSAZ) - An employee of the Arizona Supreme Court has been arrested and charged with luring a minor for sex.

Court documents show that Merrill Nelson III was arrested in Gilbert on Tuesday by police. Nelson had been corresponding with an undercover police officer on Craigslist, who was posing as a 14-year-old teen.

The undercover officer first responded to Nelson's ad on Craigslist that was titled "Older for Younger - Man for Woman." The officer said he was a 14-year-old female and during their correspondence, Nelson made several graphic sexual references. He even asked if the officer was the police, they replied they were "the cops" but he kept on speaking with the officer.

Nelson then began contacting the officer through a personal email account and he agreed to meet the undercover officer at a Gilbert park. Nelson was arrested when he arrived at the park.

After his arrest, Nelson admitted to police to having an email conversation with a girl who identified herself as being 14-years-old.

Nelson denied any past contact with juveniles and he was booked on one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.