Posted at: 09/20/2012 6:46 PM
Updated at: 09/20/2012 6:55 PM
By: Gordon Severson
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Email to a FriendPolice: Teen Charged as Juvenile in Kutzky Park Sex Assault
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(ABC 6 NEWS) -- We are tracking new developments following the arrest of a teenager and a string of sexual assaults.
That 17-year-old was charged with 3 felonies Thursday afternoon in Olmsted County Juvenile Court.
All having to do with the most recent attack in Kutzky Park.
Police are now connecting him to two other assaults.
One involving a woman who was jogging, another was attacked in her own bed.
Police say the teen admitted to two of the crimes during a police interview.
Investigators also say they have physical evidence and victims were able to pick him out of a lineup of photographs.
The teen is now charged as a juvenile with two counts of felony sexual conduct and one count of felony burglary.
Charges are still pending surrounding the two earlier attacks.
Those charges could come as early as Friday.
"It's a significant step towards public safety in the Kutzky Park neighborhood. This is certainly an individual that over the course of the last several months has shown a willingness to commit fairly brazen crimes and fairly violent crimes,” Police Captain Brian Winters says.
The 17-year-old was charged as a juvenile. However, the Olmsted County Attorney's office is pushing to have him tried as an adult.
Prosecutors say it's likely that will happen.
"When you look at the statutes and you look at the rules it's presumptive that someone even over the age of 14 that commits an offense that would qualify as a mandatory prison sentence. It's presumptive they be committed or certified as an adult,” County Attorney Mark Ostrem says.
The teen needs to be evaluated before being charged as an adult.
That process could take as long as a month.
He'll remain in custody during that time.
His next court date is set for September 24th.
Per ABC 6 News policy, we do not release the identity or address of any juvenile suspects unless there are extenuating circumstances, imminent public danger, or until the juvenile is charged as an adult.
