Four new cases, additional charges against alleged serial rapist Wiebrand
5/8/2020
Jory Wiebrand, who has already been charged in five other sexual assault, harassment and burglary cases, now faces additional criminal sexual conduct and harassment charges in four new cases, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.
Wiebrand, 34, was charged April 20, in one case with sexual assault and another with burglary, and May 5, in three cases for sexual assault, burglary and harassment. The most recent charges filed against Wiebrand in four separate cases bring the total cases against him to nine. The charges filed Thursday include,
- February 8, 2019: Attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct,
- May 1, 2019 – November 20, 2019: Harassment,
- September 12, 2019: Attempted third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and
- March 1, 2020: Attempted first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
According to the criminal complaints, on Feb. 8, 2019, Minneapolis Police were dispatched to the 600 block of 8th Street in Southeast Minneapolis, on the report of a sexual assault. The victim told police that she was attacked while walking to a bus stop by a man, identified as Wiebrand.
The victim stated that she was dragged to a nearby wooded area by Wiebrand and was sexually assaulted. A neighbor emerged from their home close by, startling Wiebrand, who ran off. As a result of the assault, the victim had cuts to her face that were bleeding. Blood from the victim’s face was collected with a tissue and used as evidence, and also tested for the presence of DNA. Male DNA was located and compared against Wiebrand’s known sample. The partial Y-chromosomal profile matched Wiebrand’s known sample.
Between May 1, 2019 and Nov. 20, 2019, a female victim, living on the 700 block of 4th Street in Southeast Minneapolis, informed authorities that she felt as if she was being followed or watched. On July 21, the victim came home to her apartment and noticed that her window was open, which she had kept closed when she left earlier, the complaint states. The victim moved out of the apartment Aug. 5; Aug. 7, Wiebrand entered another apartment in the same complex through an unlatched window and sexually assaulted a woman.
The victim relocated to a new residence on the 700 block of 10th Avenue in Southeast Minneapolis, where she would park her vehicle in an outdoor parking lot located near the corner of 6th Street SE and 10th Avenue SE.
In Nov. 2019, while walking to her vehicle for an overnight work shift, the victim was followed by Wiebrand. She quickly crossed the road, Wiebrand followed suit on foot, and started gaining on her. The victim began running, dropping her backpack where she gathered as much of her belongings as she could before getting into her car and speeding off, the complaint continues. In Feb. 2020, Wiebrand assaulted another woman in the same parking lot.
On Sept. 12, 2019, Minneapolis Police officers were dispatched to a parking lot located on the 600 block of 10th Avenue in Southeast Minneapolis on the report of an attempted sexual assault. Officers responded and spoke with the victim who stated that she was sitting in her car that morning, waiting for it to warm-up, when the driver’s side door was flung open by Wiebrand.
Wiebrand proceeded to cover her mouth. He told her to get into the backseat of the car, and the victim instead began honking the vehicle’s horn and screaming. Wiebrand then fled, the complaint says.
A witness on scene told police that he saw Wiebrand looking into cars in the parking lot before the victim came outside. Wiebrand returned five minutes later and attacked the victim in her parked car before fleeing, the complaint states. DNA swabs were taken from the victim’s face and matched Wiebrand’s known sample.
On March 1, 2020, Minneapolis Police officers were dispatched to an apartment complex located on the 700 block of 8th Avenue Southeast Minneapolis, on the report of an attempted sexual assault. Officers responded and spoke with the victim who stated that she was taking recycling out in a fenced-in area and noticed someone walking towards her. The victim thought it was another resident, and ignored the approaching person. When the victim turned her back, Wiebrand grabbed her from behind, preventing her from running away. The victim screamed, stated she went “limp” and fell to the ground. Wiebrand quickly fled the scene, the complaint says. The victim then called 911.
Officers took a swabbing of the victim’s face and male DNA was located. This Y-chromosomal profile was compared against Wiebrand’s known sample and found to match.
February 8, 2019 Criminal Complaint (PDF)
May 1, 2019 Criminal Complaint (PDF)
September 12, 2019 Criminal Complaint (PDF)
March 1, 2020 Criminal Complaint (PDF)