A Saint Paul man forced his way into a woman’s workplace, sexually assaulted her, strangled her and threatened to kill her before stealing her keys and using them to burglarize her apartment, according to a newly filed complaint.
Darren Alan Day, 39, of Saint Paul, faces charges of stalking, 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic assault by strangulation, threats of violence, 2nd-degree burglary, theft and 4th-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges were filed Monday, June 22, in Ramsey County District Court.
According to the complaint, police responded to the 400 block of Robert Street in Saint Paul at about 10:09 p.m. on June 20 after the victim reported an assault. The victim, who was visibly upset and crying, told officers that Day interrupted her appointment with a client at work, pushed her to the back of the business and tried to force her into the basement.
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When she resisted, Day lifted her dress and sexually assaulted her, then brought his hand to his face and smelled it, accusing her of cheating.
The victim said she tried to calm Day and asked him to leave, but he threatened to take her with him. Day then pushed her again, got chest to chest with her, covered her mouth and nose with one hand and placed his other hand behind her head, telling her, “B****, if you don’t shut the f*** up, I’m going to kill you.” The victim reported she could not breathe, speak or scream for several seconds.
After the client left and the victim began locking up, Day ripped her keys and purse from her hands. Some men intervened and were able to recover her purse, but Day kept her keys, which included keys to her apartment and storage locker. The victim told police that Day had previously stolen her apartment keys, made copies and repeatedly entered her apartment and storage unit without permission, despite her changing the locks multiple times.
The victim showed officers a security camera photo from her apartment building that night, which showed Day leaving with a duffle bag of stolen items. Police later found Day’s vehicle parked near the victim’s apartment and, after searching the area, located Day walking nearby. He was taken into custody and found to be in possession of the victim’s keys, including a duplicate key matching hers.
The victim initially declined a sexual assault examination but later went to Regions Hospital, where she provided additional details about her relationship with Day. She described a pattern of escalating jealousy, accusations, monitoring, physical abuse and suffocation. The victim said she ended the relationship in April and that all contact since then had been nonconsensual.
She also reported that Day never lived with her, never received mail at her address and never had permission to be inside her apartment without her present.
Day invoked his right to counsel after being advised of his rights. Police obtained a DNA sample and swabbings from Day’s hands pursuant to a search warrant.
Day is in custody at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center. He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, July 15.
Day is scheduled to appear in Ramsey County court on July 15, 2026.
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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Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
