Update: The sex charges against KC Shannon Johns of Rochester, Minn., listed in West Central Tribune stories published Aug. 28, 2009, and Sept. 3, 2009, were dismissed. The dismissal was filed March 3, 2010, by the Kandiyohi County Attorney's office.
WILLMAR -- A 23-year-old Rochester man made his first court appearance Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in July at Sonshine Music Festival.
Unconditional bail was set at $50,000 for KC Shannon Jones. Conditional bail was allowed at $10,000.
His next appearance on one count of felony third-degree cr-iminal sexual conduct is Sept. 24 in Kandiyohi County District Court.
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According to local law enforcement reports, Jones turned himself in around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at the county jail. A warrant was issued for his arrest last Thursday.
According to the complaint, a 14-year-old Claremont girl's mother notified Willmar police on July 19 that her daughter said she'd been raped on July 13 or 14 at the Willmar event. The girl had been camping with a church group that included two chaperones, five boys and two girls.
Investigators confirmed Jones' identification with one of the chaperones, who said she was a friend of Jones. A Dodge County investigator interviewed the girl, who said the group had met Jones at Wal-Mart and that he camped near them.
She said she was making out with Jones and told him she was 14 years old. She said Jones told her to take off her clothing, or that he would do it for her, and then he sexually assaulted her. She positively identified Jones in his driver's license photo.
A Willmar detective interviewed Jones on July 29 in Rochester.
He confirmed he was at Sonshine, met the group at Wal-Mart, and shared a blanket with the girl at the campsite, but denied sexual contact with her.
