Charges filed against man after teen reports assault

A 32-year-old Carlton County man was charged last month for allegedly groping a teenage girl known to him.

Jake Alan Gould, of Tamarack, was charged with criminal sexual conduct, first-degree, penetration or contact with a person under age 14 in Sixth District Carlton County Court Aug. 26.

According to the criminal complaint, Gould repeatedly and with sexual intent put his hand in the pants of a 13-year-old girl known to him, at a social gathering at his home in June. Initially too scared to say anything, the girl told her mother and grandmother the next day. Her grandmother brought her to a hospital in Brainerd for a specialized sexual assault examination.

In an interview, the victim said Gould had assaulted her when she was covered by a blanket in the living room, with other people present who were not aware of what was happening. One person told investigators they remembered the girl and Gould’s arm being covered by a blanket. The alleged victim also told police that Gould sat on her legs and rubbed her buttocks the next day when she was lying on her stomach on the couch.

The young teenager messaged a friend about the initial assault. Police interviewed that witness, also corroborating the account with photos of the messages the two exchanged.

The interviews led investigators to a second alleged victim, age 15. That victim said Gould touched her breasts and buttocks on several instances and once put his hand in her pants sexually when she was 12 years old. Gould has not been charged in relation to those allegations.

A Carlton County Sheriff’s Office investigator interviewed Gould in June. Gould confirmed he has a close relationship with the alleged victim, but denied touching her in a sexual manner.

Gould was picked up on a warrant Aug. 26.

Gould was granted pretrial release with conditions that he avoid unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 and have no contact with the victim.

An omnibus hearing is set for 8:45 a.m. Nov. 6 at the justice center in Carlton.

Editor's note: This story was updated Oct. 7 to correct Jake Gould's age and also clarify the age of the alleged second victim.