A Minneapolis man was caught on video sexually assaulting an adult male victim who was asleep on a friend’s couch, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County.
Derek Miguel Mendez, 27, faces a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for engaging in sexual contact with a victim who was mentally impaired or physically helpless.
According to the complaint, Minneapolis police took a report in early July after the victim went to HCMC for a sexual assault examination. The victim told officers he had been visiting a friend at an apartment on 8th Street Southeast in Minneapolis the night before. He said he had been drinking and was “pretty drunk” before falling asleep on the couch.
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The next morning, the victim checked his phone and discovered photos and videos showing Mendez touching him while he was asleep. The footage showed Mendez removing the victim’s pants and underwear, pulling up his shirt and engaging in sexual contact with the unconscious man.
The victim’s friends confronted Mendez about the images and videos later that morning. During a recorded phone call, Mendez admitted that it was his hand in the footage touching the victim. The complaint states that the victim had not met Mendez prior to that night.
Court records indicate that the state requested a warrant for Mendez’s arrest, citing the nature of the offense and the risk to public safety.
Mendez has since been released from jail on $30,000 bail and his next court appearance in this case is set for September 4.
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
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
