By Kelly Smith

The Stearns County Attorney’s office is reviewing a reported sexual assault involving a St. Ben’s student and St. John’s student that occurred earlier this semester.

The student could face third degree criminal sexual charges.

The St. John’s student was arrested and released by the Stearns County Sheriff ’s Office Oct. 11, Sheriff John Sanner said.

Sanner and County Attorney Janelle Kendall couldn’t comment on the case until charges are made or the case is dropped.

Chief Deputy Bruce Bechtold said Wednesday that it could be another week before a decision is reached.

The sexual assault was reported to Stearns County and St. John’s Life Safety on Sept. 29.

The St. John’s student, who competes as a wrestler, was temporarily suspended from the team last week. The Record has decided not to name him unless he is charged.

“We lost a good wrestler, ” Wrestling Coach Brandon Novak said Wednesday. “He was very good. ”

The team started practice Monday. And although the suspended athlete can’t practice with his teammates, Novak said the team is completely supportive of him.

“For us, it’s just a setback, ” he said. “And hopefully we’ll have him back. ”

A five-person committee met last week to determine whether the SJU student was responsible for violating the schools’ sexual assault policy.

The committee was made up of a co-chair from each school, two students and one faculty, staff or administrative employee. SJU Director of Media Relations Michael Hemmesch said Wednesday that they informed those involved of the committee’s findings, but couldn’t disclose any information to the public.

The last time a committee met to discuss a reported sexual assault at CSB/SJU was in 2005, CSB Dean of Students Jody Terhaar said.

“That doesn’t mean nothing happened — no one came forward, ” Terhaar said. “It’s not a situation that’s often reported. ”

She and SJU Dean of Students Mike Connolly sent the campuses a mass e-mail Oct. 7, informing students of the sexual assault. The deans gave students advice for preventing sexual assault, including:

• Listen to and respect others. Make sure you have consent before any intimate activity.
• Use alcohol legally and wisely.
• Know and make understood your own boundaries and limits.
• Stay with friends and watch out for each other.
• Report sexual assault immediately.

“(Sexual assault) happens to men and it happens to women, ” Terhaar said. “But not everyone who experiences sexual assault reports it. It’s really important (students) choose to report to us … or if nothing else, talk to someone. ”

Filed under: News by Justin Roth