New charges bring total to 9 against suspect in series of Minneapolis sexual assaults

Friday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced additional charges against an alleged serial rapist police believe to be responsible for a series of sexual assaults in southeast Minneapolis. 

According to Freeman's office, Jory Wiebrand, 34, has been charged with first-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct in connection to a Feb. 8, 2019, incident; harassment in connection to a series of incidents between May 1 and Nov. 20, 2019; attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to a Sept. 12, 2019, incident and attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to a March 1, 2020, incident. 

Criminal complaints detail the following information regarding the events that led to charges: 

On Feb. 8, 2019, officers were called to the 600 block of Eighth Street Southeast on the report of a sexual assault. The victim told police she was attacked while walking to a bus stop and dragged into a wooded area where she was assaulted. 

More charges filed against suspect in series of Minneapolis sexual assaults

The victim told police the suspect, later identified as Wiebrand, ran off when a neighbor came out of a nearby home. 

The complaint also says between May 1, 2019, and Nov. 20, 2019, a victim told police she felt she was being followed. She reported to authorities in July that she came home and found her apartment window was open. She also reported a November 2019 incident during which a suspect followed her until she was able to get into her car and drive off. 

On Sept. 12, 2019, police were called to the 600 block of 10th Avenue Southeast on the report of an attempted sexual assault. The victim told police she was sitting in her car when a suspect opened the driver's door, covered her mouth and demanded she get in the back seat of the vehicle. The victim was able to honk the horn and scream, causing the suspect to run away. 

Then, officers were called on March 1 to the 700 block of Eighth Avenue Southeast on the report of an attempted sexual assault. The victim said she was grabbed from behind and was unable to run away. After the victim screamed, the suspect fled. 

According to the complaints, DNA from the February 2019 incident, September 2019 incident and March 1 incident all matched a DNA sample known to be Wiebrand.

Wiebrand has previously been charged in connection to a number of other incidents. 

Wiebrand was charged on April 20 in connection to one case, and again Tuesday in connection to three cases. He now faces a total of nine charges.