New Charges Against St. Charles Rape Suspect Carry Possible Life Sentence
Winona, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Winona County Grand Jury has issued an indictment against a western Minnesota man accused of a home invasion and sexual assault in St. Charles last fall.
Winona County Attorney Karin Sonneman issued a news release on Friday announcing the indictment against 30-year-old Zane Pederson of Spicer. He was charged last month with multiple counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and burglary, along with kidnapping and several other felony charges following an over 3-month investigation into the attack on a St. Charles woman last November.
The criminal complaint states she woke up to find a man wearing a mask and armed with a handgun in her bedroom. The attacker left after raping the woman several times and threatening to kill the woman and her child. Pederson was arrested and charged after DNA evidence linked him to the crime.
The County Attorney says the Grand Jury indictment added additional first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges against Pederson that carry the possibility of a sentence of life in prison.