By: News Intern Katherine Jones
BRAINERD- A 64-year-old Brainerd man is accused of sexually abusing a girl during a four-year period.
Charles Leroy Mass was charged in June with three felonies in the Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct using penetration with a person under age 13 and second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim under age 13, but older than 36 months.
According to the probable cause court document filed against Mass, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office took a report May 22 of a 9-year-old girl who was being sexually abused by Mass, a man known to her. During an interview, the girl described incidents that occurred since she was 5, indicating Mass used force when he sexually assaulted her.
Mass has a prior conviction for third-degree criminal sexual conduct from an incident in 2001 when he had intercourse with a 14-year-old girl after giving her alcohol.
A judge signed an order for release for Mass, who is no longer being held in the Crow Wing County Jail in Brainerd. His next court hearing is scheduled for September 17th. Mass’ application for a public defender was denied and he is representing himself.
