Apple Valley Man Charged with Raping Unconscious 16-Year-Old Girl

An Apple Valley man has been charged with raping an intoxicated 16-year-old girl after the girl passed out.

Alex Jefferson Nouel, 23, is charged with fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a felony with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint—which was filed by the Dakota County Attorney's Office last week—the Apple Valley Police Department was contacted on Aug. 1, 2011, regarding a sexual assault a month earlier in Apple Valley.

The victim said she was extremely intoxicated and had been smoking marijuana on July 9 and was rebuffing the sexual advances of Nouel. She said he had been touching her inappropriately.

The girl said she woke up the next morning and “didn’t feel right.” She said that when she got home, she called Nouel, who admitted to having sex with her. She said she decided not to report the incident, but changed her mind after speaking to a counselor.

The girl said she had met Nouel in May or June, and he had told her that he wanted to have sex with her. She said she made it “very clear” to Nouel that she wasn’t interested in that kind of relationship with him. Nouel responded by sending her a picture of his genitals.

The girl told investigators that she had been visiting a friend in Zimmerman on July 9, and she spent most of the day and evening drinking alcohol. An acquaintance gave her a ride to a hospital in Robbinsdale, and from there another acquaintance said she could come to his home to charge her cell phone and get a ride home.

The victim called Nouel, who agreed to pick her up and take her to his Apple Valley home, according to the complaint.

Nouel picked up the victim, and they arrived in Apple Valley about 2 a.m. July 10. Nouel told the victim that they had to be quiet because his mother was asleep inside.

The two went into Nouel’s bedroom, where he put on music and offered her marijuana, according to the complaint. The victim lay down to sleep, and Nouel began to compliment her appearance and stroke her leg, the complaint says.

The victim said she told Nouel to stop, but blacked out shortly afterward.

Nouel woke up the girl the next morning and told her she had to leave. When she woke up, she was wearing only her bra and shirt, she told investigators, and she discovered later that there was blood on her shorts.

The victim exchanged text messages with Nouel, who admitted that they had sex, according to the complaint. Investigators took photos of the text messages.

Nouel met with an investigator on Aug. 10, 2011, and initially said he didn’t know anything about the incident. He denied knowing the victim and said he had never communicated with her by phone or otherwise. He also denied knowing her friends, picking her up in Robbinsdale or bringing her home, according to the complaint.

Later that day, Nouel called the investigator and admitted that he had lied. He said he had known the girl for about three months and that he had taken her home and had sex with her, the complaint says. He also said that the victim initiated the sexual contact, according to the complaint.

Nouel also admitted sending the victim a picture of his genitals, the complaint says.

Nouel is scheduled to make a first appearance on the charge Oct. 15 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.