by Frank Lee
operations@thenewsleaders.com
A St. Joseph man has been charged by the Stearns County Attorney’s Office with having sexual contact with a child at a home in Collegeville Township while he was bathing with her.
Ryan Ritter was accused of having “genital-to-genital contact” with the 4-year-old girl, but the 34-year-old denied it and denied he was “aroused” during the bath, according to the criminal complaint.
“He’s charged with criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, which is sexual penetration or sexual contact with a minor under 13 years of age,” said Joshua Kannegieter, assistant chief of the criminal division at Stearns County Attorney’s Office.
The girl demonstrated with anatomical dolls the defendant’s penis touching her vagina, and she told investigators she had touched Ritter’s penis, which he confirmed to investigators, according to the criminal complaint.
“There was a forensic interview that was conducted by the investigator in the case, and during that forensic interview, the child disclosed the contact,” Kannegieter said.
Ritter is also charged with another felony – criminal sexual conduct in the second degree with a minor under the age of 13 years old – with regards to the child allegedly touching his penis.
“The Sheriff’s Office began investigating the report on June 27, 2016. The offense is alleged to have occurred anytime between 2011 and 2016,” Kannegieter said.
Ritter has three prior driving-while-intoxicated offenses, according to Kannegieter.
“As to the relationship (between the victim and Ritter), that’s not something we would disclose because it would be identifying information of the victim,” he said. “But this is not a stranger relationship.”
If convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct regarding the alleged “genital-to-genital contact,” Ritter could face up to 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine. If convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, he could face up to 25 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine.
Ritter’s next court hearing date is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19 in Stearns County District Court in St. Cloud; at the hearing, he would decide whether he was going to challenge any of the statements made or any evidence collected in the criminal case, Kannegieter said.
Ryan Ritter
