A Brainerd man locked a woman in his bedroom, sexually assaulted her and forced her to watch in a mirror as he held her down.
Zachary Scott Krupke, 31, faces two counts of 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of false imprisonment, court records show. The charges were filed Monday in Crow Wing County District Court.
According to the complaint, the victim went to Krupke’s residence on Pineview Drive in Brainerd on June 8 after he friended her on Snapchat and invited her over to talk. When she arrived, Krupke told her to come inside and led her upstairs. The victim reported that Krupke directed her into his bedroom, then shut and locked the door behind them.
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The victim told investigators that Krupke forced her against a wall, began kissing her and pulled down her pants. She said she told Krupke no, but he continued, pushing her onto the bed and sexually assaulting her. During the assault, Krupke made the victim get on top of him and prevented her from leaving by grabbing her thighs.
He then forced her onto her stomach at the edge of the bed and continued the assault, telling her to open her eyes and look into a mirror so she could watch what was happening.
The victim said she was fearful and froze during the assault, worrying that if she was killed her two young children would not know what happened to the victim. After the assault ended, the victim was able to leave the residence. She later received a message from Krupke asking for naked photos, which she refused and Krupke then blocked her on Snapchat.
The victim sought medical attention at Essentia Health Saint Joseph’s emergency room and reported pain in her chest, hips and groin, as well as bruising on her chest and hips. She told investigators she had trouble sleeping and experienced flashbacks in the days following the assault.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Krupke’s residence. During questioning, Krupke admitted the victim had come over but claimed the sexual contact was consensual, stating that the victim initiated contact. He also said the bedroom door was open, but investigators confirmed the door had a working lock.
The complaint notes Krupke has four prior domestic violence-related convictions. In 2024, he was convicted of felony harassment and gross misdemeanor assault. He was also convicted of violating an Order for Protection in 2021 and misdemeanor domestic assault in 2018.
About This Charge
Minnesota’s criminal sexual conduct statutes are organized by degree under § 609.342 (first), § 609.343 (second), § 609.344 (third) and § 609.345 (fourth). First-degree convictions carry up to 30 years in prison; the lower degrees carry penalties up to 25, 15 and 10 years respectively. Cases involving minors trigger additional mandatory-minimum provisions and predatory-offender registration under § 243.166.
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