Jury finds Mindrup guilty of sexual assault; Former Brownsdale police chief convicted on two counts

Published 10:25 am Thursday, October 30, 2014

A jury will soon decide whether a former Brownsdale police chief is innocent or guilty of several criminal sexual assault charges.

Closing arguments in the trial of Jason Wyatt Mindrup, 44, took place Thursday, the day after Mindrup testified in court.

Mindrup

Mindrup

According to a court complaint, a woman accused Mindrup of sexually assaulting her in his truck after leaving a Waltham bar on Aug. 31, 2013. Mindrup allegedly denied those accusations and told investigators the woman asked to go to his house, but he instead drove the woman back to the bar where she had left her phone and purse. He was charged with first-, second- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct in October.

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Mindrup testified Wednesday it was a “complete shock” when an investigator spoke with him several days after the incident occurred because he knew how serious the charges were.

Yet prosecutors seized on testimony Mindrup gave in court that the victim allegedly shoved her breasts in his face at the bar that night. Mindrup hadn’t mentioned the incident when he gave his initial statement, which could have accounted for how his DNA was found on the victim. Mindrup said he was too embarrassed to mention the incident during the initial investigation last year.

A jury will enter deliberations on the case Thursday.

Last November, the Brownsdale City Council voted unanimously to fire Mindrup.