Man charged with 2 felonies in assault of minors

Published 11:04 pm Friday, February 9, 2018

A Zumbro Falls man who allegedly sexually assaulted two people younger than 13 in separate incidents was charged with two felonies Friday in Freeborn County District Court.

Michael Robert Lee

Michael Robert Lee, 54, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in two files.

Court documents state Lee was charged in one file after a Freeborn County detective was investigating a sexual assault case involving a juvenile victim Monday. When interviewing an adult witness, the witness reportedly said he was sexually assaulted by Lee when he was younger than 11 years old. 

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When interviewed, Lee reportedly denied sexually assaulting the alleged victim, reportedly saying “I can’t say that I done anything. I don’t think I did.”

In the other file, Lee was charged after he allegedly sexually assaulted a girl he knew beginning when she was 3 or 4 years old. The assaults reportedly happened “many times,” over about nine years, court documents state.

Lee was sentenced to one year in jail in March 2016 after pleading guilty to one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct for engaging in sexual conduct with a girl younger than 13. He was placed on probation for up to 25 years in that file.

Judge Ross Leuning  set conditional bail on the two files at $100,000. Lee’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 22.

As of Friday afternoon, Lee was in custody.

About Sam Wilmes

Sam Wilmes covers crime, courts and government for the Albert Lea Tribune.

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