Rochester man faces gun, sexual assault charges
Dec. 22—ROCHESTER — Eric Kelly Danielson, Jr., 31, of Rochester is being held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center after being charged with nine felony counts including sexual assault of a minor, assault and weapons-related charges, according to a criminal complaint-order of detention filed Friday, Dec. 22, 2023.
Danielson, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge earlier this year, is being detained pending further proceedings, according to an order from District Judge Christa M. Daily. He next will be in court on Jan. 16, 2024.
According to the criminal complaint, Rochester police investigators responded on Dec. 17 to a complaint of abuse of a juvenile female, 14, who told officers that Danielson had sexually assaulted her on Dec. 15, 2023, at a motel in south Rochester.
A forensic interview on Dec. 19 showed bruises on the girl's legs and a cut on her lip, which she said came from Danielson biting her during the sexual assault, according to the court document.
According to the witness statement, on Dec. 15, 2023, Danielson, who is considered "a father figure" to the girl's boyfriend, picked her up from the boyfriend's home where she was staying while the boyfriend's parents were out of town.
Danielson drove her to a hotel in south Rochester where Danielson was staying. There, he directed the girl to his room and asked her 10-15 times to have sex with him. The girl refused, but Danielson then offered her methamphetamine, which she agreed to smoke. He also gave her a small blue pill he said was Percocet. After consuming the pills, she said it felt like she was under anesthesia.
The court document says Danielson moved the girl to the bed and he tied her wrists and ankles and sexually assaulted her.
When the sexual assault was finished, Danielson and the girl got dressed. Court documents say he then grabbed a handgun and, pointing it at the girl's face, threatened to kill her, her boyfriend and her family if she told anyone what happened.
According to the statement, Danielson then drove the girl back to her boyfriend's house.
Danielson was located by law enforcement on Dec. 20, 2023, and taken into custody. Officers found several items described by the girl and a rifle with the serial numbers ground off and an electronic incapacitation device when searching his car and hotel room.
Danielson faces two separate felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct-penetration under 18 charges, three charges for first-degree tampering with a witness, assault 2nd degree use of a dangerous weapon, possession of ammunition/firearm for an adjudicated delinquent for crom of violence, prohibited possession of a pistol/use of tear gas/stun gun, and possession of an altered firearm. All charges are felonies.
