Rochester Man Faces 200 Month Sentence For Child Rape Conviction

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man has been convicted of raping a 10-year-old girl.

34-year-old Quentin Townsell today agreed to a plea agreement and entered an Alford plea to a first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. Two other first-degree criminal conduct charges were dismissed under the plea deal. The Alford plea means Townsell doesn't admit guilt but acknowledges there is sufficient evidence to support a conviction.

According to the charges, Townsell was accused of sexually assaulting three young sisters, who were 8 and 11 years old. The criminal complaint indicates Rochester police began investigating Townsell three years ago when the mother of the children reported the two older girls had talked to her about "conduct that sounded like sexual penetration." Police officers then transported the mother and the three children to the St. Marys Hospital Emergency Department.

The court document indicates the 10-year-old girl told investigators that Townsell had been sexually abusing her for about two years and the most recent incident had occurred just a couple of nights before her mother went to the police. The child indicated that Townsell left $20 for her following the sexual assault at a residence in northeast Rochester.

The oldest child also told police about episodes of sexual assault. She also stated that Townsell had choked her with his hand hard enough to cause her difficulty breathing and slammed her head into a doorknob. The court record says the eight-year-old girl told investigators the sexual abuse had been going on for a long time and occurred as often as three times a week.

Townsell's sentencing hearing has not been scheduled, but the plea deal calls for a 16 ½ year prison sentence.