Lake City man's plea deal for sexually assaulting 4 girls calls for a 45-year sentence
May 12—WABASHA — A 43-year-old Lake City man has entered into a plea agreement for two separate cases in which he was accused of sexually assaulting four different girls and possessing child sexual abuse material of children as young as toddlers.
Matthew Raymond Rahn pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, all felonies, during a hearing this week in Wabasha County District Court. He was initially facing about a dozen other felony charges related to the sexual abuse of children between 2014 and 2022.
He is currently being held in the Wabasha County Jail while he awaits his sentencing hearing on June 23, 2023.
"This resolution ensures that a truly heinous predator is kept away from children and that his victims can heal in a community free of his shadow," Lake City Police Chief Cory Kubista said in a statement about the case.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors insisted that the sentences run consecutively rather than concurrently, meaning he will have served 540 months in prison before his release.
He was being investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for possessing and disseminating child sexual abuse material, prior to any of his charges this year, according to Wabasha County Attorney Karrie Kelly.
"Investigator Matt Klees took the initial tip from the BCA and then spent months tirelessly working this case, interviewing victims, obtaining subpoenas, and tracking leads. This case is strong because of his determination to find the truth. I am grateful to have him on my team," Kubista said.
Kubista also praised Senior Assistant Wabasha County Attorney Jake Barnes, who was the lead prosecutor in the case.
"A sentence of 45 years doesn't happen without a prosecutor who appreciates the seriousness of these crimes, understands the law, and is willing to fight to ensure the right things happen," Kubista said.
The U.S. Attorney's Office offered Rahn a federal non-prosecution agreement following Rahn's plea deal with the state. The agreement does not apply to any other criminal misconduct Rahn may have engaged in outside of his current charges.
"Should other criminal misconduct come to light, the USAO expressly reserves the right to bring federal charges against you," United States Attorney for Minnesota Andrew Luger wrote in a letter to Rahn.
According to court documents:
Rahn's new charges stem from law enforcement's further investigation into Rahn in which police found photographs of a 10-year-old girl on his phone. Messages on his phone show Rahn bragging to another person about sexually abusing her.
Following that investigation, law enforcement found that he sexually abused a girl when she was between 12 and 14 years old and he sexually abused another girl starting when she was in first grade. He reportedly stopped assaulting the second juvenile when she entered fifth or sixth grade.
Law enforcement also found that he sexually assaulted another 11-year-old girl between 2014 and 2016.
Throughout the abuse, Rahn was using the messaging application WhatsApp to talk to other people about the sexual assaults and exchange explicit images of minors, according to the criminal complaint.
Those experiencing sexual exploitation can call a 24-hour crisis line at 507-289-0636 to speak to someone who can direct you towards help.
