Deer Creek Man Arrested for Having Sex With a 12-Year-Old

Joshua Larson. (OTCDF)

Deer Creek, MN – A Deer Creek man is being charged for having sex with a 12-year-old child.

Prosecutors say 18-year-old Joshua Dale Larson was arrested on Friday for having a sexual relationship with a minor from August 2025 until January 2026. Court documents say the victim’s parents reported the crime after their child disclosed that they had sexual contact with Larson four times.

Otter Tail County investigators spoke with the victim, who said they had started to “talk” with Larson when they were 11 and he was 17, and then they started dating. The victim described the relationship as mostly sexual. They told deputies they initially did not want to have sex and said no, but that Larson persisted anyways and they were eventually “fine with it.”

When investigators spoke with Larson, he confirmed that he had a relationship with the victim and that it ended because she was “way too young.” He also told deputies he likely had inappropriate photos of the victim on his phone.

In a quick search of Larson’s phone, deputies found sexually explicit messages between Larson and the victim, including messages asking the victim to send him inappropriate photos and have sexual contact with him, as well as searches regarding pregnancy. Larson told deputies that the searches were because the victim was concerned about becoming pregnant.

Larson has been charged with 1^st degree criminal sexual conduct, soliciting a child to engage in sexual conduct, and engaging in electronic communication relating to sexual conduct with a child. He made his first court appearance Monday morning.