WINONA — A Level 3 predatory sex offender was charged last week in Winona County District Court with five crimes stemming from an incident in April in which he allegedly broke into a Winona home and threatened a woman at knife-point.
Ramone Lamont Newell, 28, of Winona, faces the following felony charges stemming from the April 25 incident: first-degree criminal sexual conduct; second-degree criminal sexual conduct-fear great bodily harm; third-degree criminal sexual conduct-force or coercion; criminal sexual predatory conduct, and first-degree burglary.
Newell's first court appearance was Friday and bail was set at $1 million by Judge Nancy Buytendorp.
Newell has an extensive criminal history that includes at least 16 convictions since 2005. He has six convictions for felony interference with privacy and one conviction for indecent exposure. He was also charged last month with another count of felony interference with privacy in Winona County District Court, according to the court complaint.
The most recent incident was reported to authorities at 4:55 a.m. April 25 after a female victim reported that a man who matched Newell's description had broken into her home and subjected her to sexual abuse.
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The victim told authorities that about 5 a.m., she awoke to find a person, allegedly Newell, crouched at the foot of her bed and claiming to have a knife. He pulled her pants off and began touching her, then began giving her commands while continuing to threaten her with the knife, the complaint says. The victim toldauthorities that she may have been videotaped during the alleged assault.
Newell eventually left the house and the victim discovered that her cellphone had been stolen, the complaint says. She used a computer to contact a friend via Facebook, who called authorities for her. Newell was identified as a suspect in the investigation within days, according to the complaint.
Newell, whose next court date is Oct. 3, faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine.
