https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/K7DJOPDUIJS5JC3DPDTLSZW4FQ.jpg?&w=712
Dontay Lavarice Reese pleaded guilty to the violent August 2017 kidnapping. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

She was stronger than him, she told her rapist when she confronted him in court.

She needed a ride home during an early morning in August 2017. She accepted one from Dontay Lavarice Reese, and then endured 12 hours of kidnap and torture until she was finally able to escape.

Two years later, she faced Reese in a federal courtroom on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty in February to kidnapping her.

"You were physically stronger than me," she said, struggling often to get the words out through tears. Nearly the entire courtroom wept with her. "But I never gave up."

The Star Tribune generally does not name sexual-assault victims.

Federal Judge Patrick Schiltz sentenced Reese to 27 years in prison, an amount agreed on in a plea deal that spared the victim from a trial. Schiltz said he wanted to give him more.

"If the parties had not reached an agreement … I would have sentenced him to much more than 324 months in prison," Schiltz said from the bench. He added: "Mr. Reese is extremely dangerous and the public needs to be protected from him."

Reese, of Burnsville, had one of the worst criminal records Schiltz said he had ever seen, noting that Reese had been convicted of 34 crimes as an adult and several as a juvenile, including an assault when he was 13. In 2003, Reese was convicted of felony criminal sexual conduct in Minnesota in a case similar to the one he was sentenced for Tuesday, in which he kidnapped a woman needing a ride home and raped her.

The woman in the courtroom knew none of that when she needed a ride home two years ago. She had been with friends, but she got separated from them and stranded in downtown Minneapolis. One had her cellphone, so she couldn't call for a ride.

Reese was with two other people when he offered her a ride, which helped her trust him. Then they took her to a party. From there they got into a rented car, where she thought she would be OK because another woman was in the car. But he drove to a motel where he dropped that woman off.

Now alone with Reese, she continued to tell him all she wanted was to go home.

Instead, he terrorized her, driving so dangerously that she feared for her life. She begged him to let her go. When they stopped at a red light she tried to jump out, but he pounded on the gas, got on a freeway and headed east to Wisconsin. He threatened to sell her into sex trafficking.

When they stopped at a gas station, she again tried to escape. But he tackled her and dragged her back into the car. Strangers saw what was happening and called 911.

Reese took her to a wooded area, tied her to a tree and raped her. She escaped and ran back to the interstate with her wrists bound, screaming for help. State troopers had been searching the area thanks to the 911 call and found her. The troopers later found and arrested Reese.

Reese represented himself during Tuesday's hearing, and expressed no remorse about that day. Reese has never expressed remorse, Schiltz said. The judge said Reese had been nothing but a problem since the charges were filed, repeatedly filing frivolous motions to delay the case or refusing to come to court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Munoz-Kaphing said the woman initially blamed herself for trusting the wrong person, as so many rape victims do.

"She did nothing wrong that day," she said. "He picked the wrong woman, because she was courageous enough to run several times."

When the woman addressed the court during sentencing, she thanked the people who called 911 that day.

"I want you to know that you saved my life. You are my angels," she told them.

After that day, the woman told the court that she cut her hair because the knots he left from grabbing it made her only think of him. But she has since grown it to the length it was before as she's worked to heal from the horror she faced.

"Today when I brushed my hair I'm not reminded of that day," she said. "Instead I am reminded of how far I've come."

"To everyone who helped me get to where I am today, thank you."

Brandon Stahl • 612-673-4626

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-serial-rapist-gets-27-years-in-prison/512125862

https://cbsaustin.com/resources/media2/16x9/1577/648/341x0/90/8ff9e3ee-4538-408f-91d6-482d734ed9a8-Screenshot20240906at4.32.44PM.png
Abdul Jameel Wright in a March 29, 2023 video shared by St. Louis Park Public Schools.

MINNEAPOLIS (CITC) — A former "Minnesota Teacher of the Year" recipient was charged late last week with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student in 2017.

The incident allegedly occurred while Abdul Jameel Wright was teaching eighth grade English at Harvest Best Academy in Minneapolis. Wright, now 38, is accused of "grooming" the then-14-year-old student by "giving her special treatment," including eating lunch with her and calling her daily.

The teacher also developed a close relationship with the student's mom so he would be "trusted to take [the student] places," according to court documents.

Wright allegedly sexually assaulted the student in 2017, with the assaults continuing for almost a year. The incidents occurred at Harvest Best Academy, in Wright's car and temporary home, and in the student's mother's apartment, according to court documents.

Wright worked at Harvest Best Academy from August 2011 to April 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was named "Minnesota Teacher of the Year" in 2016.

The "Minnesota Teacher of the Year" award is described as going to educators who "exemplify the type of excellence and dedication that takes place regularly in classrooms" throughout the state.

Harvest Best Academy did not respond to a request for comment from Crisis in the Classroom (CITC). The school told KMSP-TV it is gathering all information relevant to the allegations.

"We are limited in what we can share until this thorough investigation has been conducted and we are fully cooperating with all authorities," the school reportedly said."We understand these allegations may be concerning, and our top priority remains the safety and security of our school community."

Wright most recently worked at St. Louis Park High School, but resigned on June 10, according to FOX9. Court documents show the student's mother filed the related police report against Wright in May.

https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/former-minnesota-teacher-of-the-year-charged-with-raping-14-year-old-student-abdul-jameel-wright-harvest-best-academy-minneapolis-hennepin-county-st-louis-park-crisis-in-the-classroom

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Trevall Coleman

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 26-year-old St. Paul man is accused of entering his girlfriend's home with his face covered and raping her teenage daughter.

Trevall Coleman, of St. Paul, is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, court documents filed in Ramsey County show.

According to a criminal complaint, the 17-year-old daughter of Coleman's girlfriend was raped in the early morning hours of Nov. 30 in her home in St. Paul's Payne-Phalen neighborhood.

The teenager called police immediately after the assault happened, telling officers that she woke up to a man in her bedroom, who physically and sexually assaulted her.

She said that the man punched her in the face and hit her with a box fan after she tried to fight him off.

Police spoke with the victim's mother, who was at work when the assault happened, and she said that Coleman called her that night, asking where she was. She described the call as "odd," adding that although her boyfriend called her every day, he stopped after the assault.

It took days for investigators to get a hold of Coleman, but when they did, he told officers via a phone call that he was at Mystic Lake Casino when the assault happened, the complaint states. He also said that he was currently staying in St. Cloud.

However, a review of surveillance footage at the south metro casino didn't show him there the night of the assault. Additionally, the bus route he told investigators he took to Mystic Lake didn't match actual bus schedules.

Later, through a review of phone data, investigators found that Coleman was near the victim's home at the time of the assault. He was also didn't appear to have gone to St. Cloud.

Police arrested Coleman on Friday, and, in an interview, he admitted to hitting the victim "a few times" but not raping her, the complaint states. When asked why he was fighting with the teenager, he could not give a reason. He said he entered the home with a key.

Previously, Coleman was accused of burglary, making terroristic threats and domestic assault for breaking into the same home. The incident prompted his girlfriend to file a protection order against him.

If convicted of the rape charge, Coleman faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine.

Coleman is currently in custody, with bail set at $120,000.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/trevall-coleman-charges-st-paul-man-raped-girlfriends-teenage-daughter/

https://komonews.com/resources/media2/16x9/full/768/center/80/b874de32-4ac7-4970-ae28-751789928ecb-130621_rapist_small.jpg
Curtez Deshawn Graham

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A Minnesota man on furlough from prison removed an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts, returned to the home of his prior burglary victim and raped her, authorities said Friday.

Curtez Deshawn Graham, 18, of St. Paul, told police he wanted to scare the 65-year-old woman and send her a message because he was mad that she sent him away for 14 months, according to the criminal complaint. Graham is charged with eight counts, including criminal sexual conduct.

He appeared in Ramsey County District Court on Friday, but proceedings were continued to next week. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

According to the criminal complaint, Graham first entered the woman's home in October 2011 and robbed her at knifepoint. She called police, but Graham was not caught. A month later, he entered her home again with a bandanna over his face and demanded money. At some point during that incident, he said he returned because the woman was so nice the first time, and added: "Now remember you didn't call the police last time, don't call them this time," the complaint said.

Graham was later arrested and placed in Boys Totem Town, a residential campus for delinquent juveniles. He ran away in March 2012 and was then sent to the state prison in Red Wing.

Last week, he was placed on a 10-day furlough and was being monitored by an ankle bracelet, but he cut it off, the complaint said. Authorities began searching for him, and the Ramsey County Attorney's Office told the burglary victim that Graham had run away.

Early Wednesday, the woman and a man were awakened by Graham, who was naked in their bedroom, holding a pair of scissors. The criminal complaints say Graham ordered the man to put a pair of underwear in his mouth and tie himself up, threatening to kill him if he did not.

Graham then raped the woman. He ordered her to shower afterward and demanded money. When he left, he said: "Don't call the police I can come and get you anytime," the complaint said.

Graham was arrested Wednesday night. At first he denied the rape, but said he went to the house to scare the woman and send a message. He eventually said the attack wasn't supposed to happen and he stopped because he's "not that kind of person," the complaint said. He also said he was drunk.

John Schadl, a spokesman with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, said he could not speak about this case because Graham was sentenced as a juvenile and state law forbids him from disclosing details about juvenile sentences.

Schadl said as a general rule, if an offender were to cut an ankle bracelet, the Corrections Department would take a hard look at its policies to ensure they were followed, and see if they need to be revised.

https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/man-on-prison-furlough-accused-of-raping-past-burglary-victim-11-20-2015

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Mr Pettis is charged with second degree sexual assault. (Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office)

A man charged with raping a 101-year-old woman has said he did not plan the alleged sexual assault and “would have worn a condom” if he had, according to police.

The 20-year-old from Milwaukee, Winconsin, is alleged to have told police he was planning a robbery of the woman’s home but changed his mind when he saw her in bed.

Antoine Devon Pettis, 20, faces charges of burglary, aggravated battery and second degree sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison.

The charge of second degree sexual assault refers to sexual intercourse without consent in the US state of Wisconsin.

Police say the victim was asleep in her home, where she lived alone, when the robbery took place.

She woke up upon hearing a noise and asked who was there, and was told to “shut up” and slapped in the face.

The attacker is then said to have sexually assaulted her and left, according to the criminal complaint. Police arrived to find the woman bleeding; she was taken to hospital for treatment.

Mr Pettis left DNA evidence on the woman’s body and nightgown, according to Milwaukee Police Department’s Sensitive Crimes Division.

The case is unusual because DNA already on file from a relative of Mr Pettis was initially used to determine that the crime had been committed by a family member, due to similarities in the DNA.

This is only the second time in the history of Wisconsin state that such a method has been used.

Mr Pettis was already wanted by police for failing to appear before court after being charged with obstructing an officer and possession of cannabis.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-charged-with-raping-101-yearold-woman-says-he-would-have-worn-a-condom-9872043.html

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James Turner

MINNEAPOLIS — A Fridley man has been sentenced to 100 months in prison and three years of supervised release in his federal case after shooting an 11-year-old in the face on New Year's Day.

James Turner, 44, was federally charged in January with possession of ammunition as a felon, according to U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger.

The complaint says that Turner has prior felony convictions, and "federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition."

Laneria Wilson, 11, had to undergo surgery following the shooting.

Wilson was in her bedroom when she heard gunshots on the street. She then went to a window in her room where a bullet broke through and hit her, Wilson said, according to the complaint.

Police then found eight cartridges and 24 discharged casings near the home.

Turner was convicted of a separate felony last year but avoided prison time because he had "proven himself to be amenable to probation," according to court documents.

He is scheduled to have a hearing in his state case on November 18.

Note: The video above originally aired on Jan. 3, 2024, before Turner was charged.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/james-turner-sentencing-shooting-minneapolis-girl-face/?intcid=CNR-02-0623

https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2014/11/20/09/devon_pettis.png?quality=75&width=1250&crop=3%3A2%2Csmart&auto=webp
Mr Pettis is charged with second degree sexual assault. (Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office)

A man charged with raping a 101-year-old woman has said he did not plan the alleged sexual assault and “would have worn a condom” if he had, according to police.

The 20-year-old from Milwaukee, Winconsin, is alleged to have told police he was planning a robbery of the woman’s home but changed his mind when he saw her in bed.

Antoine Devon Pettis, 20, faces charges of burglary, aggravated battery and second degree sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison.

The charge of second degree sexual assault refers to sexual intercourse without consent in the US state of Wisconsin.

Police say the victim was asleep in her home, where she lived alone, when the robbery took place.

She woke up upon hearing a noise and asked who was there, and was told to “shut up” and slapped in the face.

The attacker is then said to have sexually assaulted her and left, according to the criminal complaint. Police arrived to find the woman bleeding; she was taken to hospital for treatment.

Mr Pettis left DNA evidence on the woman’s body and nightgown, according to Milwaukee Police Department’s Sensitive Crimes Division.

The case is unusual because DNA already on file from a relative of Mr Pettis was initially used to determine that the crime had been committed by a family member, due to similarities in the DNA.

This is only the second time in the history of Wisconsin state that such a method has been used.

Mr Pettis was already wanted by police for failing to appear before court after being charged with obstructing an officer and possession of cannabis.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-charged-with-raping-101-yearold-woman-says-he-would-have-worn-a-condom-9872043.html

https://i0.wp.com/www.twincities.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Deputie-4-e1683240596469.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1
Dawada Steven Deputie (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

A St. Paul man has been sentenced to 12½ years in prison for raping a woman and attempting to sexually assault a 14-year-old girl after sneaking into their bedrooms on the city’s East Side in 2021.

Dawada Steven Deputie was convicted Wednesday of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of first-degree burglary in connection with five cases filed against him in Ramsey County District Court.

The 34-year-old had reached a plea deal with the prosecution Jan. 9 that included the 150-month prison term and dismissing six other charges. After confinement, Deputie must serve a statutorily required 10 years of conditional release and register as a predatory offender.

According to the charges, Deputie raped the woman May 23, 2021, after they met at a bonfire the night before at a home along Wheelock Parkway west of Jackson Street. After drinking and smoking marijuana with Deputie and others, the woman became “extremely intoxicated” and went to a spare bedroom about 2 a.m. to spend the night. She was awakened three hours later with Deputie raping her.

At Wednesday’s sentencing, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Dawn Bakst read a victim impact statement written by the woman, who was present in the courtroom. She said the attack has brought about daily depression and compounding anxiety in her life “because this is always looming in the back of my mind.”

“Sometimes I just crawl into my bed and cry,” she said. “I once felt myself to be strong and invincible. Now I often feel small and vulnerable.”

Later cases
The attack was the first of Deputie’s five cases in 2021. According to the criminal complaints, between Sept. 21 and Oct. 4, Deputie entered three apartments in the 1200 block of Hazelwood Street — one of them twice — and one house in the 1800 block of Stillwater Avenue, usually by climbing through windows.

On Sept. 20, about 2 a.m.: Police were called to a home on Stillwater Avenue where a man caught Deputie climbing in through a bathroom window. He confronted him and Deputie fell out the window and fled.

On Sept. 21: Police were called to an apartment on Hazelwood where a woman said she was in her bed just before midnight when she saw a man, later identified as Deputie, standing in her room, illuminating it with the flashlight feature on a cellphone. She seemingly scared him away, checked her house, closed an open window and relocked her front door. About 45 minutes later, he returned and got into bed with her. The two fought and he ran off.

On Sept. 30, about 4 a.m.: Police were called to an apartment on Hazelwood where a woman reported a man, later identified as Deputie, in her apartment. She said several items were stolen.

On Oct. 4: Just before midnight, the same woman reported waking up and finding a man, later identified as Deputie, on the ground in her apartment attempting to sexually assault her 14-year-old granddaughter, who had been sleeping in the bed next to her. He had removed her underwear when the grandmother woke and chased him out of the apartment.

Police learned later that a woman living in a neighboring apartment building told police she was sleeping on the living room couch when a man, later identified as Deputie, broke the living room window, shattering broken glass all over her. She and her mother ran next door for help.

A man in that apartment went out to look for the suspect and found him hiding by the trash collection area between a used bed and a bin. He and a friend chased the man and were able to grab him. Deputie got away from them but was soon caught by police, the complaint states.

When caught, Deputie said, “I’m gonna need a lawyer,” the complaint states.

Apology, then a denial
On Wednesday, Deputie was given a chance to address the court. He apologized to the victims “for any harm done” and to his own 10-year-old daughter for being jailed.

He then told Ramsey County District Judge Kellie Charles that he was innocent of the charges. Earlier in the hearing, Charles denied a motion Deputie’s attorney filed requesting that the plea agreement be withdrawn.

Charles told Deputie she was going to sentence him in accordance with the plea agreement, “which actually is quite generous, considering that all of these cases could have been sentenced consecutively.”

https://www.twincities.com/2023/05/04/st-paul-bedroom-invader-sentenced-for-rape-four-other-cases/