BEDFORD – A Medora man is facing a felony charge in Lawrence County after local authorities investigated reports of inappropriate communication with a teenager.
Brandon Levi Albertson, 20, has been charged with dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a Level 6 felony, following an investigation by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
The case began on January 6, 2026, when the parents of a 14-year-old girl arrived at the Sheriff’s Department to report that an adult male had been messaging their daughter. According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Detective Michael Williams, the parents discovered the messages while reviewing the contents of the juvenile’s cellular phone.
Investigators found that the communication began on December 24, 2025, through the social media platform TikTok. During the initial exchange, the juvenile reportedly informed the individual that she was 14 years old and lived in Mitchell. The individual, using the username “balbertson2005,” identified himself as being from Medora and eventually provided a personal phone number to continue the conversation via text.
The affidavit states that the communication transitioned to text messaging on Christmas Day. Between late December and early January, the individual allegedly sent multiple inappropriate photographs and made sexually explicit statements to the minor.
Law enforcement noted that a specific tattoo was visible in the images provided as evidence. On January 6, the same day the parents filed their report, Albertson reportedly contacted the Sheriff’s Department to inquire if any reports had been filed against him, providing a phone number that matched the one used to message the victim.
During a subsequent interview with detectives on February 6, Albertson allegedly confirmed the phone number belonged to him and acknowledged he had been communicating with an underage female. He further identified the juvenile by name and confirmed he was aware of her age during their interactions.
A warrant has been requested for Albertson’s arrest in connection with the Level 6 felony charge. He was detained on Monday, May 11.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
