Grand Jury Indicts St. Cloud Man in Sexual Assault of Teen

ST. CLOUD -- A Stearns County grand jury has indicted a man on three charges of criminal sexual conduct after he allegedly provided a 14-year-old girl with alcohol and then raped her in December.

Fifty-six-year-old John Magney has been indicted on two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct. If convicted on any of the charges, Magney could be sentenced to life in prison.

The Stearns County Attorney's Office sought the indictment due to Magney’s history of prior sex offenses. Minnesota law requires a grand jury indictment for any offense punishable by life imprisonment.

In 1982 Magney was convicted in Mille Lacs County of first degree intrafamilial sexual abuse for an offense against a 4-year-old girl.  In 1997 Magney was convicted in Benton County of first degree ciminal sexual conduct for an offense against a 6-year old girl.  The two prior convictions enhance the penalty for the current charges to life imprisonment.

Court records show the assault happened at a home on 7th Avenue North in Waite Park. The girl says she was watching a movie with Magney when he gave her some of his drink, which she believed contained alcohol. Magney is then accused of putting his hands on her and removing her clothes. Records also indicate a witness says she saw Magney on top of the girl.

Magney is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in response to the indictment Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Andrew Pearson. He remains in the Stearns County Jail on $1,000,000 unconditional bail