Felon back in jail for failing to attend sex offender programming – Brainerd Dispatch

BRAINERD – A 22-year-old Rosemount man who sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in 2019 was convicted Nov. 5 of a probation violation.

Michael James Vance Linehan pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree with the victim between the ages of 13 and 15, while the perpetrator was more than 24 months older. At the time of the attack, Linehan was 17 years old and the girl was 13 years old.

That was Linehan

sentenced on May 1

up to 10 years of supervised probation with the following conditions: He must be actively enrolled or participating in a sex offender treatment program by July 31, 2024, or he would have to serve 90 days in jail, among other terms.

After failing to enroll in a sex offender treatment program, the Crow Wing County Jail filed a memo on Aug. 1 saying Linehan had not reported to jail as ordered, court records show.

On October 17, the court issued an arrest warrant for Linehan following a report from Crow Wing County Probation, which stated that he had failed to complete a psychosexual examination and failed to comply with all recommendations from the investigation, specifically that he had completed a specific treatment program for sex offenders. ; did not contact probation as directed; and failed to obey the law and behave properly.

On October 29, Linehan was arrested in Dakota County and taken to the Crow Wing County Jail.

Linehan went before Crow Wing County District Court Judge Charles Halverson on Nov. 15 and accepted a plea deal on his probation violation, admitting the first two probation violations and dropping failure to remain in compliance with the law.

Halverson followed the original sentence and ordered Linehan to serve 90 years in prison for failing to enroll in a sex offender treatment program. He was given 12 days credit for time served.

Following his release, Linehan will be reinstated on probation with the same conditions, including entering a sex offender treatment program within 30 days of release.

According to court documents, on April 16, 2020, law enforcement received a report of a sexual assault that had occurred approximately a year earlier and Linehan was identified as the perpetrator.

During a forensic interview, the girl told police about two incidents that occurred in the summer of 2019 while she was living in a home in Baxter with her mother, brother and Linehan.

During one incident, the girl, her brother and Linehan were drinking and fell asleep on her brother’s bed. They had no intention of falling asleep there. The girl woke up when Linehan touched her inappropriately. Linehan told her to be quiet and that she would like it. She indicated that she didn’t like it.

She said she felt out of control of the situation and felt “powerless,” “stuck,” “paralyzed” and “unable to move.”

During a separate incident, she, her brother and Linehan were drinking together. She said she started sleeping on the living room floor when Linehan came in, stood over her and then lay down next to her.

She said Linehan then sat on top of her and sexually assaulted her. Afterwards, Linehan told her not to tell anyone and that this would be their little secret.

During a conversation with police, Linehan acknowledged living in the house in the summer of 2019, although he denied anything happened between him and the girl.

In May 2022, the court cleared Linehan for adult prosecution.

TIM SPEIER, staff writer, can be reached on Twitter

@timmy2thyme

call 218-855-5859 or email

[email protected]

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Tim Speier joined the Brainerd Dispatch in October 2021, covering public safety.