Man Charged After Alleged Sexual Assault at Saint Paul Apartment
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A 20-year-old man is charged after prosecutors say he sexually assaulted a woman he met through social media.
The alleged incidents happened between May 22 and May 23, 2025, at an apartment in the 1500 block of English Street in Saint Paul.
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Willie Ezekile Bennett Stevenson, of Saint Paul, is charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving penetration through coercion.
According to the criminal complaint, police received a report on May 24, 2025, after a nurse at Mercy Hospital in Fridley contacted authorities about a sexual assault examination involving a woman. Investigators spoke with the woman, who reported she met Stevenson through Snapchat before he picked her up from her dorm and brought her to his apartment in Saint Paul.
The woman told investigators they initially watched a movie and had a consensual sexual encounter. She reported Stevenson later pressured her to smoke marijuana with him and became upset when she refused to smoke more. She told investigators Stevenson then forced additional sexual activity despite her repeatedly telling him to stop.
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The woman reported Stevenson drove her back to her dorm after the encounter. She told investigators she moved out of the dorm the following day and returned to her parents’ home, where she later disclosed the assault. She was taken to Mercy Hospital for a sexual assault examination.
Investigators conducted a photo line-up on Nov. 15, 2025, during which the woman identified Stevenson as the suspect with “100 percent” certainty, according to the complaint.
Authorities later spoke with Stevenson by phone after he declined an in-person interview. Stevenson told investigators he communicated with the woman through Snapchat before meeting her. He said he picked her up and brought her to his apartment, where he said they had a consensual sexual encounter. Stevenson told investigators the woman became upset during the encounter and he then drove her back to her residence. He denied using force or engaging in nonconsensual sexual contact, the documents say.
Court records show Stevenson has been summoned to appear in court in connection with the charge. He is expected to make an initial court appearance on Feb. 26. A booking photo was not yet available as of publication. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a $30,000 fine or both if convicted.
