A Spring Lake Park man took an 8-year-old girl to his home and sexually assaulted her, according to charges filed today in Anoka County District Court.
John C. Heuer, 48, was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping in an abduction from a St. Paul laundromat Sunday evening that triggered an Amber Alert.
The girl escaped that night and was reunited with her family.
Heuer did not appear in court this morning. He was moved to a medical facility for reasons not revealed, said Paul Young, who head's the county attorney's criminal unit.
After his arrest, Heuer contended to police that the girl was a prostitute and that he paid the mother $100 for the child's sexual services, according to the charges. The mother denied giving Heuer permission to take the girl, the charges added.
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Heuer also told police that he didn't want to guess how old the child was because Asian girls often look different than their age, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the charges:
Heuer abducted the girl from a laundromat in the 1600 block of Rice Street about 6:40 p.m. Sunday with the promise of seeing his puppy. She escaped from his home and was found nearby wandering alone outside. Citizens found her and called police.
Witnesses said that 20 minutes before the abduction, Heuer told the girl she looked pretty and grabbed at her. Her mother pulled her away.
Authorities arrested Heuer at about 6:30 p.m. Monday at his townhome at in the 500 block of 78th Avenue NE. He was hiding under his vehicle in the garage.
"[The girl] provided critical information," said Police Senior Cmdr. Bill Martinez, who coordinated the investigation. "She's the reason she's alive. She's a brave young girl."
Heuer told police that he had been drinking most of Sunday afternoon at the Lamplighter Lounge, not far from the laundromat.
He said he went to the laundromat and saw two girls he thought were pretty, prompting him to talk with the mother and negotiating a price to take the 8-year-old.
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He said he took the girl to his home, where they had oral sex and fondled each other.
The girl fled, he said, when he went to the bathroom.
Neighbors said that Heuer is a truck driver who hauled goods to Fargo. His criminal record does not include any violent or criminal sex convictions; he was convicted twice of drunken driving and once of violating vehicle weight limitations.
Martinez said police are investigating any possible connections to other cases, but have not found any concrete links.
