South Dakota GOP candidate accused of grooming and raping teenage family member
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South Dakota GOP candidate accused of grooming and raping teenage family member
Cami Mondeaux November 05, 04:03 PM November 05, 04:03 PMA Republican running for state Senate in South Dakota is facing criminal charges after allegedly groping and molesting a teenage family member for years, according to court documents.
Joel Koskan, 44, was charged with one count of exposing a minor to foreseeable harm and "sexual grooming behaviors" after he allegedly sexually abused the girl for at least six years beginning in 2014, according to an investigation by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The girl was only 12 years old when the abuse started.
“She explained that ever since she was young, Joel [Koskan] would give her very long hugs, kiss her and have her sit on his lap. [The woman] thought that it was ‘normal things’ that families were supposed to do,” read a probable cause statement written by a DCI agent that was obtained by the Mitchell Daily Republic.
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Officials opened an investigation in May after the victim, who is now 19 years old, sought help from a DCI agent, claiming Koskan has been “raping her since she was a young child,” according to court documents. The woman reported this information to a retired DCI agent, who then contacted county and state investigators for assistance.
The woman told the retired DIC agent that Koskan was monitoring her through a GPS tracking system in her phone and car, according to the court documents. Koskan also apparently had camera access to her home because she lived on property that belonged to him.
The woman told investigators she didn’t realize the behavior was inappropriate until she attended a faith-based camp when she was 14 and counselors spoke about how physical contact can become sexual. That was when “it clicked,” according to documents.
She then told her counselors she believed Koskan “had a sexual interest” in her and “wanted to be with her intimately,” prompting staff members to contact the Department of Social Services to file a report. The department was dispatched to her house but ultimately never opened a file after the victim decided not to cooperate with an investigation.
Years later, Koskan then began to “require” the woman to take showers and wear nightgowns without underwear, according to court documents. The man would then also require her to straddle him after showering, she alleged.
After she turned 17, Koskan began having sexual intercourse with her “many times” at different locations across the state, the court filings state.
Online News 72h
Authorities took Koskan into custody on Thursday, and he has an initial hearing scheduled for Monday. If convicted, Koskan could face up to 10 years' imprisonment, as well as fines of up to $20,000, according to Online News 72h.
Koskan has not yet suspended his campaign in his race against Democratic state Rep. Shawn Bordeaux, although his campaign website has been turned to private and he deleted his Twitter account after news broke of the allegations.
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