Man Accused in Sexual Assault, Beating of Woman

ST. CLOUD -- Stearns County has filed criminal charges against a man who is accused of sexually assaulting a woman after she tried to leave him. Thirty-four-year-old Dustin Bartkowicz is charged with five felony counts and a misdemeanor.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman told Bartkowicz on Thursday, February 24th that she was returning to the tent they were living in to get her belongings and was leaving him. Bartkowicz is accused of telling her she wasn't leaving and a struggle ensued.

He is accused of kicking her in the ribs and punching her in the face several times. Bartkowicz then allegedly removed the woman's clothes and forced sex on her. After the sexual assault the woman told police Bartkowicz strangled her and put her in a "headlock", making it so she couldn't breathe. He is also accused of threatening to kill her and smash her head with a brick.

Doctors later determined the victim had a fractured rib.

Bartkowicz is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, 3rd degree assault, domestic assault, terroristic threats, and a misdemeanor count of violating a No Contact Order filed just days before the assault.