An Austin man accused of having sex with a 13-year-old girl made his first appearance on Monday in Mower County District Court.

Colin Charles Belden, 20, was charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct-victim 13-15-actor greater than 24 months older, solicit child to engage in sexual conduct, solicit child through electronic communication to engage in sexual conduct, engage in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child and distribute via electronic communication material that relates to sexual conduct to a child, all felonies.

According to the court complaint, law enforcement was contacted on Aug. 31, 2018, by the parents of a 13-year-old female regarding a criminal sexual conduct incident. The victim had disclosed that she had sex with a 15-year-old male from Austin Township, telling a deputy it occurred in mid-August in an “outbuilding” at a residence in the 16000 block of 520th Avenue.

On Sept. 1, the victim’s mother contacted law enforcement and said she had “proof” on the victim’s cell phone that the victim had sex with Belden.

On Sept. 4, a detective interviewed the victim, who reiterated that she had sex with the 15-year-old male, who knew she was 13, but also disclosed she had sex with Belden. She alleged it happened about a week prior in Belden’s bedroom at his residence in the 16000 block of 520th Avenue. She said she and Belden smoked marijuana he had provided in the “red shed” and that she was watching movies with another female at the residence. When she went into Belden’s bedroom to get another movie, she said he “grabbed” her and asked her to have sex with him, which she did.

The detective reviewed a Facebook Messenger conversation between the victim and Belden, including a series of messages referring to sexual acts and Belden asking the victim to come to his room. In one message, Belden expressed his desire for the victim to perform oral sex on him. He also sent her a picture of his genitals.

The detective interviewed Belden on Oct. 3 and asked him if he was aware if the victim had sex with anyone. Belden said on the night of his birthday party he saw another man getting “touchy-touchy” with the victim. He said he saw a “hickey” on the victim’s neck the next morning, but had no knowledge about the victim having sex with the other man.

Belden told the detective he had known the victim for five months and believed she was 14 years old. He denied having sex and smoking marijuana with the victim. When confronted about the messages on the victim’s cell phone, Belden initially denied he was involved in the conversation, then said he was “just messing around” with the victim and that the conversation was a “really stupid thing to do.”

Belden will appear in court again on April 8.