ROSEAU, Minn. (Valley News Live) – A felony child harassment case in Roseau is renewing long‑standing fears about children’s safety and has prompted more than 600 people to sign a petition calling for tougher action on offenders.
Court documents say Nicholas James Gerulli Jr., 49, is accused of following three children — ages 11, 10 and 10 — into the Burger King in Roseau around 9 p.m. on Sept. 20, 2026. A manager reported an adult man making sexual gestures toward the kids and told officers the kids said Gerulli had followed them inside the restaurant.
According to court documents, the children told police Gerulli walked up to them and made sexual comments and gestures before the manager told him to leave.
The children also told officers this wasn’t the only time he had followed their group that night.
The report says after the children left Burger King, Gerulli later drove past them near Center Street and Main Avenue, made another sexual gesture, and asked where they lived before driving away.
Gerulli was charged with felony harassment — aggravated violations involving a victim under 18 with alleged sexual or aggressive intent.
He was shortly released after posting a $500 bond.
For Andrea Erickson, a Roseau resident for the last 20 years and mom of two, the case confirmed fears she says have been simmering in town for decades.
“He was out the next day, and was already harassing other kids,” Erickson said.
She says she’s “heard stories” about Gerulli’s behavior in Roseau dating back several years.
“Well, as far as I know, I’ve heard stories going as far back as 25 years,” she said.
In response, Erickson created an online petition titled “Protect Roseau County children from a sexual predator.” The Change.org petition had collected 611 signatures as of Thursday.
“Change needs to happen,” Erickson said. “It doesn’t change unless someone starts it, I guess, so here we are.”
In the petition, Erickson writes, “For over 25 years, children and families in and around Roseau County, Minnesota, have had to live with the fear and emotional distress caused by one individual’s persistent, unwanted interactions with our children. It’s time to take decisive action to ensure our community is a safe environment where kids can grow without fear.”
The petition also argues, “The presence of a sexual predator in our midst is not only a violation of our children’s safety but also a grave threat to their mental and emotional well-being.”
It calls on local authorities to increase surveillance, strictly enforce existing laws, and “appropriately monitor and restrict the activities of known offenders.”
“I honestly didn’t think it was going to go that far,” Erickson said. “I’m a mom, I have two kids of my own, and I wanted to change something for the better.”
Supporters are also leaving personal stories in the “supporter voices” section of the petition.
One commenter wrote, “My daughter has been targeted by this person since we moved to Roseau when she was 5, which was 6 years ago. Every single time we see him, he beelines straight to my child. I’ve told him so many times to go away and leave her be. … I am so worried he is going to, or probably already has, hurt a child. I’m furious! Something has to be done!!”
Another supporter wrote, “As someone who has gone through assault as a child (13) and the perp being almost 40, this petition is so personal and needs to be brought to everyone’s awareness.”
The petition notes that Gerulli has prior cases involving harassment and sex‑related charges.
State court records show previous convictions for:
- 2021: Harassment; restraining order — violate and knows of temporary or restraining order
- 2020: Harassment; restraining order — violate restraining order
- 2018: Harassment; restraining order — violate restraining order
- 2015: Criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree
Erickson says the pattern, along with the latest case, is what pushed many residents to sign.
“It’s not just him… I know there’s other weirdos, I guess you could say, out there,” she said. “They need to be stricter on how they’re releasing them, they need to be monitored more.”
In the petition, Erickson also writes that Roseau County “deserves to be a safe haven for its families” and urge authorities to provide more support and resources for families, including counseling and educational programs for children.
She says she has emailed county leaders several times about her concerns and the petition’s demands but has not received a response.
“Sexual assault survivors don’t deserve them being released right away,” she said. “I don’t want that to happen to him.”
Erickson says she doesn’t know exactly what her next step will be, but she plans to continue pressing for change and dedicating her time to these victims and their families.
Gerulli Jr. is expected back in court on October 26, 2026, for an omnibus hearing.
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