MINNESOTA
KSTP
October 07, 2016
WARNING: Some of the details from the criminal complaint are graphic descriptions.
Prosecutors have charged a 33-year-old priest from San Diego with two counts of criminal sexual conduct after they say he had sexual contact with a woman in Mendota Heights while providing spiritual guidance.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office charged Jacob Andrew Bertrand by summons Thursday. He’s facing two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to events that allegedly happened in 2010, according to the criminal complaint made public Friday.
Bertrand is currently assigned to the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, California.
The 30-year-old woman reported the sexual contact with Bertrand to Mendota Heights Police on April 28 of this year.
In a statement, Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said, “It’s a felony under Minnesota law for any member of the clergy to have sexual relations with an individual who is not their spouse, during the course of a meeting in which religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort is given, or while ongoing religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort is occurring.”
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