Brainerd father and son charged with sexual assault of family member – Brainerd Dispatch

BRAINERD — A Brainerd father and his son face multiple felony charges after they allegedly sexually assaulted an underage female family member on multiple occasions.

Dustin Charles Thede, 46, was charged Friday, Nov. 1, in Crow Wing County District Court with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. His son, Logan Charles Thede, 23, was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual battery.

Both men appeared in court for the first time on the criminal charges on Friday.

Dustin Thede is being held in the Crow Wing County Jail on $400,000 bail or bond with conditions and $800,000 bail or bond with no conditions. His next court date is Wednesday, November 6, in Crow Wing County District Court.

Logan Thede is being held in the Crow Wing County Jail on $250,000 bail or bond with conditions and $500,000 bail or bond with no conditions. His next court date is Tuesday, Nov. 5, in Crow Wing County District Court.

According to criminal complaints filed against Dustin Thede and Logan Thede, Brainerd police received a report of possible criminal sexual conduct on Oct. 15 after the victim told a friend's mother about suspicious sexual activity by Dustin Thede.

The victim said Dustin Thede injected her with unknown substances that she believed could be used for contraception and spoke of other unexplained sexual circumstances, such as waking up with a condom next to her.

A Brainerd Police investigator spoke with a school counselor who knows the victim to further evaluate whether a crime may have occurred. On October 24, the counselor met with the victim at school. The victim provided more details about a sexual assault by Dustin Thede, saying he touched her under her clothes a few weeks ago. The victim told a social worker that Logan Thede had also sexually abused her.

The victim was taken into protective custody and a forensic interview was scheduled for Wednesday, October 30th. During this interview, the victim disclosed significant criminal sexual conduct committed against her by both Dustin Thede and Logan Thede.

Dustin Thede is said to have sexually abused the victim from the time she was ten years old until today.

Post / Crow Wing County Jail

The most recent assault occurred in August at her Brainerd apartment, the victim said. Dustin Thede provided the victim with alcohol and he was described as intoxicated. Dustin Thede began an argument with the victim as she lay down on her bed and tried to fall asleep. Dustin Thede then went into the victim's bedroom and violently sexually assaulted her.

The victim reported that Logan Thede committed the first sexual assault against her in March or April at her Brainerd apartment. An argument ensued between Logan Thede and the victim, and at one point Logan Thede threw the victim on her back onto her bed and she hit her head against the wall. She was then sexually abused by Logan Thede.

Logan Thede's most recent sexual assault against the victim occurred on Sept. 21 when Logan Thede drove the victim home and they got to her apartment, the victim said. Logan Thede insulted the victim for not getting along with his friends and an argument ensued. Logan Thede then violently sexually assaulted the victim.

MATT ERICKSON, editor, can be reached at [email protected] or 218-855-5857.

Matt Erickson joined the Brainerd Dispatch in 2000 as a reporter covering crime, courts and the city of Brainerd. He was promoted to night editor in 2012 and editor of the newspaper in 2014.