Poice arrested a Virginia man who has allegedly made several attempts to take a political seat in public office after explicitly supporting white supremacy, pedophilia, and rape and had planned what authorities called an “extremely disturbing” kidnapping scheme of a 12-year-old California girl.
The 40-year-old suspect, Nathan Daniel Larson, once ran as an independent for Congress in Virginia. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said they have custody of Larson in Denver, and he is facing a misdemeanor charge of harboring a minor.
During a layover on a cross-country flight, police intercepted Larson where he was heading to the District of Columbia. On Thursday, the suspect is scheduled to appear before a judge. At the same time, an extradition request is expected to be filed to take him back to California. Authorities from the state charged Larson with kidnapping, child abduction, soliciting child pornography from a minor, and meeting a child for the intention of sex.
Mims said, “It is obvious that Larson had the ability to be in contact with children across the nation, and the willingness and the means to travel to abduct them. We believe that there are other victims out there.”
Initially, authorities did not provide information if Larson had an attorney. It was also revealed that the 12-year-old victim was returned to her family.
On Monday, Mims said police received reports of the abducted young girl. Authorities discovered she was taken by an older man that she met online in October.
Officials also learned that the suspect went to Fresno from Virginia and persuaded the victim to sneak out of her house at 2:00 a.am. Mims added that Larson made the girl wear a longhair wig to disguise her. He also told her to pretend to be disabled and not able to speak to prevent her from asking for help.
Washington residents know Larson for supporting extreme fringe views into the political environment. The suspect ran as an independent candidate for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in 2018. In 2017, he also tried to gather enough signatures to get him a seat for the state House of Delegates, the San Francisco Gate reported.
Larson advocated for abolishing laws against marital rape, age restrictions for marriage, and incest in the context of marriage during an interview in 2018. Additionally, he expressed his support for white supremacy and Adolf Hitler’s tyranny in Germany.
The suspect pleaded guilty in 2009 to threatening to kill then-President Barack Obama. Authorities sentenced Larson to 16 months in federal prison and given years of supervised release. Mims said the new charges against the suspect could give him a life sentence with the possibility of parole.