Prior Lake man pleads guilty to sexual assault

Prior Lake American

A 22-year-old Prior Lake man pleaded guilty Tuesday, Nov. 14 to sexual assault charges in Hennepin County District Court.

Benjamin Sloan was arrested earlier this year for assaulting a woman in a Minneapolis bar in late 2016.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police that Sloan:

• Grabbed her breasts even as she repeatedly told him "no"

• Stuck his hand down her pants and digitally penetrated her, holding on to her arms so she couldn't move

• Tried to kiss her and bit her shoulder.

• Sloan told police that the incident was an "accident."

Sloan sent a message to a mutual friend a few days later which said, "Please I really need to talk to this girl that is NOT me to do something like that. I'm so sick to my stomach thinking about this. Please let me just at least text her and sincerely apologize. Thank you."

A DNA test was done from the front waist of the victim's pants. Sloan and the victim could not be excluded as the source of the mixture, while 99.9997 percent of the population could be excluded, according to the complaint.

Sloan was charged with felony criminal sexual conduct. He pleaded guilty to the charge in the fifth degree. Sloan will return to court in January for sentencing.