Wayzata man, 24, pleads guilty to raping woman near U of M

Last update: September 29, 2008 - 11:59 PM

A 24-year-old Wayzata man admitted in court Monday that he repeatedly raped a 20-year-old woman who fled, wearing only a towel, by leaping from her second-story apartment window near the University of Minnesota.

Christopher E. Karls was to go on trial in Hennepin County District Court this week. Instead, he pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal sexual conduct, three counts of burglary and one count of kidnapping in connection with the May 4 assault.

Authorities say blood found in the apartment helped them tie the assault to Karls. A DNA profile developed from the blood led to a match to Karls' profile in the state's database of criminals.

The woman broke her ankle after jumping from the bathroom window to flee Karls after he broke into her apartment, held a knife to her throat and sexually assaulted her.

Karls told her he was "desperate" and asked for money. The woman offered him her camera and computer before he ordered her to undress and sexually assaulted her. Afterward he ordered her to shower. She tried to call 911, but he took the phone away.

Paul Walsh

Eden Prairie man pleads guilty to health care fraud

A 51-year-old Eden Prairie man has admitted in federal court that he conspired with his wife and another person to commit health care fraud involving about $1.5 million.

Mohamed Essa pleaded guilty Friday in Minneapolis to cheating Medica, which administers the Medicaid public health care benefit program in Minnesota.

According to Essa's plea agreement, he admitted that from Jan. 1, 2001, through December 2004, he conspired with his wife, Indadeeq Omar, and with Tou Chaiker Vang of Maplewood to defraud Medica, submitting claims for translation services that had not been rendered to Medica members. Vang was employed by Medica.

Essa and Omar owned and operated Global Interpreter Corp., which contracted with Medica to provide translation services.

PAUL WALSH

Robbers hit 5 south Minneapolis neighborhoods

Minneapolis police are ratcheting up efforts to find suspects they say are threatening residents of five South Side neighborhoods and robbing them at gunpoint.

In the past three weeks, at least nine people have been robbed as they were walking in the Regina, Field, Northrop, Hale and Diamond Lake neighborhoods, said Cmdr. Lucy Gerold.

The most recent robberies occurred last Tuesday as a man confronted a resident around 6 p.m. in the 4900 block of Park Avenue S. The man showed a handgun and took a briefcase and wallet.

About two hours later, a robber approached a man from behind as he was walking near Minnehaha Creek near 51st Street and Chicago Avenue S. The robber produced a handgun and demanded the victim's wallet, police said.

Gerold said police have scheduled a workshop on reducing the chance of becoming a victim and what to do if they become one. It is at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at Washburn High School, 201 W. 49th St.

TIM HARLOW

Alcohol may have had role in fatal crash in Blaine

Alcohol may have been a factor in a three-car crash that killed a man and injured four others early Sunday in Blaine, police said.

According to police, a driver rear-ended another car stopped for a traffic signal at Hwy. 65 and NE. 93rd Lane. The collision at 12:58 a.m. caused the car that was rear-ended to sideswipe a third vehicle.

Police did not disclose the name of the man who died at the scene, but Lt. Paul Sommer of the Anoka County Sheriff's Office said he is a 29-year-old from Minneapolis and was riding in the car that was rear-ended. Four other people were hurt in the crash. Two were taken to hospitals with injuries that weren't life-threatening.

TIM HARLOW

Recent West Metro stories

MPCA apologizes for gag order on Carver County commissioner - September 29, 2008

MPCA apologizes for gag order on Carver County commissioner - Carver County Commissioner Tom Workman had been told not to talk about septic system issues at a county-owned facility. More