Crookston man charged with sexually assaulting nursing home employee

CROOKSTON — Police here arrested a man last week after he admitted to sexually assaulting a woman in November and and last week threatening her about telling police about it.

Jason Cortez, 22, is in jail awaiting his next court appearance Feb. 19 on charges based on the allegations.

On Feb. 3, police were called to Villa St. Vincent, a Catholic nursing home. A woman said Cortez had sexually assaulted her Nov. 30 in the Villa’s parking lot. She said on Feb. 3, he confronted her in the nursing home’s linen room, physically attacking her and threatening her.

Det. Sgt. Aaron Pry said during an interview Feb. 5 in the police station, Cortez admitted to the woman’s allegations.

He was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in the November incident and he was charged with tampering with a witness, making terroristic threats, false imprisonment and fifth-degree assault in the Feb. 3 incident.

All but the assault charge are felonies, a court official said.

Cortez made an initial appearance Friday in state district court in Crookston. His probation on a previous conviction was revoked and he remains in the regional jail in Crookston.