News

May 18, 2023

Sauk Centre Man Pleads Guilty to Statutory Rape Charge

ST. CLOUD ( WJON News ) -- A 23-year-old Sauk Centre man has pleaded guilty to a criminal sexual conduct charge after grooming a 14-year-old girl on a social media app for sex and explicit photos.

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A 23-year-old Sauk Centre man has pleaded guilty to a criminal sexual conduct charge after grooming a 14-year-old girl on a social media app for sex and explicit photos.

Court records show Zachary Sureth convinced the girl to send pictures and videos of herself in sexually explicit poses and then met up with her to have intercourse.

The crimes came to light when the girl's mother discovered sexually explicit messages on the girl's phone.

The child was brought to the Child Advocacy Center for a forensic interview where she admitted to meeting Sureth for sex on three separate occasions.

Sureth pleaded guilty to 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct. He'll be sentenced on June 2nd.