NEW ULM - Robert Sterling Culver, 40, of 4059 Black Bayou Road, Leland, Miss., formerly a resident of New Ulm, has been charged in Brown County District Court with six felony level counts of depriving another of custodial or parental rights and two misdemeanor charges of contempt of court.

According to law enforcement documents, on Jan. 15, 2008, an order and memorandum was filed in Brown County regarding a CHIPS (child in need of protection) petition regarding Robert and Stacy Culver's children. An item in the memo dealt with a request by Robert Culver to move the three children with him to Mississippi where Culver has relatives. Brown County District Court Judge John Rodenberg denied Culver's request to move the children.

The Culvers were going through a divorce proceeding at the time.

A motion was filed on Stacy Culver's behalf for temporary legal and physical custody of the children. A hearing was held on March 14, 2008, and Robert again requested to be allowed to move the three children to Mississippi. Judge Todd Westphal also denied Robert Culver's request.

In a printed e-mail dated April 17 sent from the attorney representing Robert Culver, Culver had asked his attorney to let everyone know he was now in Mississippi and requested all further correspondence be sent there.

According to law enforcement documents, the order was still in effect when Robert Culver, after having brought the children back to Minnesota, again disobeyed the order by removing the children from Minnesota and taking them to Mississippi on or about Nov. 6, 2008.

In an order dated on June 10, 2009, Culver was found in constructive civil court contempt by Judge Westphal for disobeying the court order to not relocate the children.

The maximum sentence for each charge of depriving another of custodial or parental rights is two years in jail and/or a $4,000 fine. The maximum sentence for the charge of 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Robert Culver is summoned to appear in Brown County District Court on Sept. 22.