Man facing multiple sexual assault charges after random attack in Minneapolis

Minneapolis police arrested a man after a woman reported a sexual assault in downtown Minneapolis Sunday.

A criminal complaint names 19-year-old Makye Kenneth Thibodeaux as the man arrested for criminal sexual conduct related to an incident at West River Road and Hennepin Avenue South on Aug. 21.

Police responded and spoke with a woman who was “visibly distraught,” the criminal complaint states. The woman told police that she was walking down the sidewalk near the Federal Reserve building with her earbuds in when a man, later identified as Thibodeaux, approached her from behind and grabbed her under her dress. Thibodeaux then pushed her toward a fence, but the woman was able to spin around and push his hand away. She then ran away screaming, and Thibodeaux left the scene.

While responding officers were taking the victim home in a squad car, she reportedly saw Thibodeaux sitting in a stairway and pointed him out to police. She later identified him in a photo lineup.

Police arrested Thibodeaux and he later admitted to the assault in a post-Miranda statement.

A Spreigl notice— considered evidence of past crimes, states in the complaint that Thibodeaux is suspected of committing four other sexual assaults, three of which victimized strangers in downtown Minneapolis.

Thibodeaux is accused of groping his roommate’s girlfriend in January while she was asleep.

Two other assaults reportedly happened in a skyway system where Thibodeaux groped women without their consent.

In another incident, a woman was cornered and attacked in the vestibule of an apartment complex before she fought Thibodeaux off and escaped.

Surveillance video showed Thibodeaux committing the downtown Minneapolis assaults. Thibodeaux identified himself in the surveillance footage and admitted to assaulting the women.

Thibodeaux is currently in custody at Hennepin County Jail. His next court appearance is set for Thursday, Aug. 25.