Austin man charged in second rape case

(ABC 6 News) – An Austin man now has two pending rape cases in Mower County Court.

Allen Thomas Gartner, 38, was charged with three counts of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct charges after the alleged violent rape of a woman in July of 2024.

He is scheduled to appear on a new 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct–victim mentally impaired/helpless charge Feb. 10, 2025.

The charge was filed Jan. 31, but dates back to 2016. According to court documents, the alleged victim in the new case contacted law enforcement only after seeing in the news that Gartner had been arrested on other rape charges.

According to court documents, the woman told law enforcement that in the spring of 2016, she had awakened to Gartner sexually assaulting her.

Mower County prosecution filed notices of intent to use each sexual assault charge to prove the absence of mistake or accident in the other court case.

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(ABC 6 News) – An Austin man faces three 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct–injury, use of coercion charges in Mower County Court.

Allen Thomas Gartner, 38, was released from Mower County Custody on $100,000 bail with conditions July 11.

According to court documents, Gartner is accused of the violent rape of an Austin woman July 5, 2024.

On Tuesday, July 23, the Mower County Attorney’s Office filed a notice that they intend to seek an aggravated, or longer-than-usual sentence, based on the “particular cruelty” with which Gartner allegedly treated the woman, the fact that the attack allegedly took place in the woman’s residence, and the fact that children were also in the residence.

Gartner is scheduled to make an initial appearance on the 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct charges Aug. 1.