Sexual Assault Case Against Rochester Man Dismissed
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Sexual assault charges filed against a Rochester man a little over a year ago have been dropped.
According to Olmsted County court records, the criminal complaint against 31-year-old Mohamad Kasim Rustem was dismissed on September 28.]
Why Prosecutors Dropped the Charges
Rustem had been charged with one count each of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct. The motion to dismiss the charges was filed by the Olmsted County Attorney's Office and indicates that the evidence available to prosecutors was no longer sufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
What the Criminal Complaint Alleged
The criminal complaint in the case states that Rustem was on probation for a previous child pornography conviction when he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman he met on Tinder. The court document says the victim alleged that she was raped at a Rochester hotel last September after she and Rustem first met at the hotel and then went out to dinner.
The charges also indicate that the woman claimed she told Rustem "no" numerous times and attempted to push him off of her.
Following his arrest, the criminal complaint says Rustem told police that he and the victim had sex and stated that she had said yes to him in a "nervous way."
Previous Criminal Case
Rustem was convicted of two counts of possession of child pornography in a 2022 Olmsted County case. He was sentenced to five years on probation for the convictions.
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