Northern Minnesota cop charged with sexually assaulting teen and stalking while on duty

A northern Minnesota police officer sexually assaulted a teenager many times in recent years and stalked the teen while on duty in his squad car, according to charges filed Wednesday.

Joshua M. Demmerly, 29, of Warroad, was charged in Roseau County District Court with kidnapping, third-degree criminal sexual conduct and stalking in connection with the alleged assaults, which spanned from 2017 to this year.

Demmerly remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail ahead of a court appearance April 23. Online court records do not list an attorney for him.

The case was investigated by state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). Demmerly was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, the BCA said.

Demmerly's Facebook page said he also was a Roseau County sheriff's deputy and studied criminal justice at Northland Community and Technical College in East Grand Forks, Minn.

According to the criminal complaint:

The accuser, now an adult, told BCA agents Monday of more than 10 sexual assaults by Demmerly and accurately described the interior of Demmerly's home, where they spent the night "on multiple occasions."

Demmerly is accused of saying there was a felony investigation underway against the teen and he could offer protection from it.

He is also accused of saying there was a search warrant out for the teenager's phone but would not execute it if the teen spent more time with him.

The accuser described trying to avoid Demmerly but reported receiving repeated phone calls and text messages expressing Demmerly's love.

Demmerly recently went so far as sending photos of him holding a gun to his head and threatening to kill himself, the complaint said.

He is also accused of providing alcohol to the teen and other juveniles and telling them they had to spend the night at his home because they had been drinking.

Demmerly also is accused of pulling the teen over while he was on patrol and ordering the teen to exit the car and kiss him. In one instance, he allegedly turned on his emergency lights, turned off his squad car camera and took the teen into custody in front of other people at a party.

He continues to pledge his love in hopes they can have a relationship, the charges said.