Red Lake Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse, Failing to Register as a Sex Offender

A 27-year-old Red Lake man was sentenced today in federal court in Minneapolis for sexually abusing a woman physically unable to defend herself and failing to register as a sex offender. United States District Court Judge David S. Doty sentenced Jeremy Charles Wind to 87 months in prison on one count of sexual abuse and one count of failing to register as a sex offender. Wind was indicted on August 11, 2009, and pleaded guilty on January 25, 2010.

As to the charge of sexual abuse, Wind admitted entering the victim’s bedroom on May 22, 2009, and proceeding to have sex with her, knowing she was incapable of declining participation or communicating unwillingness to engage in the sexual act. In addition, Wind admitted that from October 2008 to May 2009, he was not properly registered as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Wind, a Tier II offender, has two previous convictions for fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Wind was last convicted in 2006.

Wind had been registering as a sex offender since his conviction in 2000. However, he failed to inform the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension of his change of residence in 2008, when he moved to the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Such notification is required under the law.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service,and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tricia A. Tingle. The federal government has primary law enforcement jurisdiction over the Red Lake Indian Reservation.