MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 28-year-old Coon Rapids man faces serious charges after he allegedly grabbed a girl who was biking in Fridley and engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with her.
Aaron Johnson faces two felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one felony count of false imprisonment in connection to the July 26 incident.
Aaron Johnson (credit: Anoka County)
According to the criminal complaint, Fridley police responded just before 1 p.m. on July 26 to a call of an attempted abduction on Taylor Street NE in Fridley.
There, Johnson is accused of driving down the street multiple times before stopping next to two young girls who were biking. He then allegedly opened his driver’s side door and grabbed one of the girls, a 7-year-old, and engaged in sexual contact with her.
Shortly after he allegedly grabbed the girl, a neighbor yelled at Johnson, who then fled from the scene with his driver’s door still open, according to the complaint. The incident was captured by neighborhood surveillance cameras.
The neighbor then took the girls home and to safety.
Investigators used the surveillance video to track down Johnson, who was arrested on July 31. Police said he initially told them that he was not in Fridley on the day of the incident, but later admitted to having a problem and to having sexual contact with the girl against her will.
If convicted, Johnson could face up to 25 years in prison for each criminal sexual conduct charge.