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Crime, Law and Justice
Mathew Holding Eagle III
Bemidji, Minn.

Bemidji police investigating alleged sexual assault of 11-year-old girl

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Authorities in Bemidji are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a pre-teen girl after emergency department personnel at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center reported the Sept. 23 incident to police. Medical staff told officers that the girl said she had been sexually assaulted at a residence in the city.

Responding officers executed a search warrant at a Bemidji home and arrested 22-year-old Oscar Ernesto Luna on an outstanding warrant. He was also charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the assault case. Luna’s first court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 9 in Beltrami County.  

According to the complaint, the minor victim told investigators she was with her “auntie,” who wanted to go to a party. The woman then arranged a ride. Two vehicles showed up and the victim and the woman got into different cars.

The girl told authorities that people in the car “put a bag over her head and brought her to a place where she fell down the stairs and hit her knee.”

While at the residence, the victim said she was tied up naked and a rope was placed around her neck. She said two other girls were also there: one was bound and another was in a closet.

She told investigators that four men were present including one called “Panda,” who was later identified as Luna. The victim said he had a black gun and distinctive facial tattoos and an orange eyebrow piercing. The victim said the men sexually assaulted her. 

Eventually, one of the other victims untied the girl allowing her to escape.

Police say while executing the search warrant, they found and detained 11 men on suspicion of immigration violations and handed them over to U.S. Border Patrol.  

The investigation is ongoing.