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A Rosemount man has been charged with sexually abusing a 7-year-old Rosemount girl.
Ernest Henry Chouinard, 36, is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim younger than 13, a felony with a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, a woman called Rosemount Police on Sept. 28 and said her 7-year-old daughter had been sexually abused the night before by Chouinard.
The woman described Chouinard as a friend who had stayed at her house for the last few days.
An officer interviewed the victim, who said Chouinard came into her bedroom between 1 and 5 a.m. that day. She said Chouinard got into her bed, kissed her and put his hand on her “private area,” according to the complaint.
The child said she told Chouinard "no" and asked him to leave, but he stayed until the girl’s 12-year-old sister came into the bedroom and told him to leave.
The 12-year-old told police that at about 1:30 a.m., she heard the victim say “Get out” several times and heard Chouinard talking to the girl in what she described as “baby talk.” She said she went into the child’s room, saw Chouinard in bed with her and told him to leave.
Chouinard remains in the Dakota County Jail on a $100,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled Oct. 23 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.
