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An Austin man accused of having sex with an underage girl while she was intoxicated and using force to have sex with her at his residence made his first court appearance on Wednesday in Mower County District Court.

Kristopher Lin Cook, 20, of Austin has been charged with the felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct – personal injury – force/coerce, felony first-degree criminal sexual conduct – personal injury – victim mentally incapacitated/impaired/helpless, felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct – fear of great bodily harm, felony second-degree criminal sexual conduct – personal injury – force/coerce, felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct – force or coercion, felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct – victim mentally incapacitated/impaired/helpless – and felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct – victim under 16 years of age – actor more than 24 months older.

According to the court complaint, on Sept. 24 an Austin police officer learned that a 15-year-old female was having sexual relations with a 20-year-old male, later identified as Cook.

The victim told police that she had known Cook for about two months and that Cook knew her age. She disclosed that about two weeks earlier she was intoxicated at a party and had sexual intercourse with Cook. She stated that she was “black-out drunk” at the party and only knew of the sexual assault because it was video-recorded on a cell phone. She was also told by a friend, an 18-year-old female, that Cook had sex with her.

The victim said she met Cook on Facebook indicated that “stuff” previously happened with Cook that she did not like talking about. She said she had sexual intercourse with Cook more than 10 times since they met. She also said that she tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease and that Cook “was mad” when she told him that he needed to be tested.

The victim also told police Cook had used force (strangulation) to get her to submit to sexual contact at his residence, saying the strangulation resulted in pain and coughing and she feared that Cook would severely injure her if she did not submit. The victim said she disclosed this incident to a 16-year-old female.

A detective spoke to the victim’s 18-year-old friend, who confirmed that she recorded a video of Cook and the victim having sex at her residence. She said they were all drinking alcohol and that the cell phone used to record the incident belonged to a 17-year-old female. The detective made contact with the phone’s owner, who provided a copy of the video.

The detective interviewed Cook, who indicated that he met the victim on Facebook in the early-summer months. Cook claimed that he believed the victim was 17-years-old and they had engaged in sexual intercourse about 10 times since they met. He said he learned that she was 15 in July and said he told her that they could still “hang out,” but they could only be “friends.” Cook then admitted he had sexual intercourse with the victim after he learned that she was 15 and indicated that these occasions occurred at his apartment in the City of Austin and at the 18-year-old’s residence.

Cook will appear in court again on Oct. 5.