Man Accused of Groping Woman at St. Cloud Library

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A man is accused of asking a woman at the St. Cloud Library to be his girlfriend and then groping her.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jason Corder is charged in Stearns County District Court with 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct.

St. Cloud Police were called to the library on Friday on a sexual assault call. Officers met with a woman who said she was in a quiet room studying with a friend when a man knocked on the door. She told police that she didn't know the man but let him in because she assumed he wanted to study in the room.

Corder is accused of sitting next to the woman, asking to take "selfies" with her, and wanting her to be his girlfriend. At one point Corder took the woman's phone and texted his phone number.

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Court records show the woman didn't know how to get Corder to leave so she texted her brother to call her. She left the room to take the call and upon returning, told her friend that her mom would be picking them up. That's when Corder allegedly gave the victim a side hug and grabbed her breasts.

Officers interviewed the woman's friend whose description matched what the victim said.

Police saw the man on the library's surveillance and learned he was living at the Dream Center in north St. Cloud. Corder was found and arrested.

Officers also learned he has an active Department of Corrections warrant related to a prior conviction of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct.