Lake Wobegon trail rapist gets 12 years
By David Unze • dunze@stcloudtimes.com • November 17, 2009

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The man who pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old girl in July on the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison.


Benjamin Delacruz Ajqui, 22, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Stearns County District Court.

He admitted forcing the girl off her bike near Melrose as she was riding alone on the trail. He forced her into a ditch and assaulted her as she fought with him.

Stearns County District Court Judge Thomas Knapp sentenced Ajqui, ordering him to pay money to repair the girl’s bicycle. Ajqui, whom sheriff’s officials said was in the country illegally, will be on supervised release after his prison term.

He also could be deported once he’s served his prison sentence.

A court complaint indicates that the victim was able to get out of the ditch and flag down a passing bicyclist to get a cell phone to call 911.

An officer responding to the victim’s 911 call briefly scuffled with Ajqui before he fled into a nearby cornfield.

Ajqui was arrested when he emerged from a cornfield on the edge of town.

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 9111160073