Moorhead Man Booked on Four Sex Crime Counts
Moorhead (trfnews.i234.me) — Ricardo Mendoza-Bandera, 38, was booked into the Clay County Jail on March 20, 2026.
The booking time was listed as 12:11 p.m.
The supplied record names three arresting agencies.
They are the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Hennepin County, and the Moorhead Police Department.
Charge Listed by Clay County
The Clay County entry lists fifth-degree controlled substance possession.
The allegation involves a Schedule I, II, III, or IV substance.
The booking language excludes a small amount of marijuana.
No substance type, weight, or test result was included.
Hennepin County Entry
The Hennepin County entry lists reckless driving.
The allegation states the driver consciously disregarded a substantial or unjustifiable risk.
The booking record does not describe the reported driving conduct.
It also does not identify a road, vehicle, or alleged damage.
Moorhead Criminal Sexual Conduct Allegations
The Moorhead entry lists four criminal sexual conduct counts.
The first-degree count references penetration or contact involving a person under 13.
It also references fear of great bodily harm.
The second-degree count also references fear of great bodily harm.
A third-degree count involves a person between 13 and 15.
That entry states the accused was more than 24 months older.
The fourth-degree count involves the same age range.
It states the accused was more than 48 months older.
The supplied information does not identify any alleged victim.
It also provides no incident date, location, or supporting narrative.
No police report or criminal complaint was included.
Those documents may provide more details if filed in court.
Minnesota Laws and Public Records
Minnesota Statute 609.342 covers first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Minnesota Statute 609.343 covers second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Minnesota Statute 609.344 covers third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Minnesota Statute 609.345 covers fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Minnesota Statute 152.025 covers fifth-degree controlled substance offenses.
Minnesota Statute 169.13 addresses reckless driving.
The brief jail descriptions may differ from formal charging language.
The booking entry also includes an immigration-related notation.
No supporting immigration record was provided with the booking details.
This report does not independently verify that notation.
Clay County publishes inmate information through its official online roster.
The county warns that roster information may be incomplete or outdated.
The Moorhead Police Department provides public agency information online.
A jail booking is not proof of guilt.
Mendoza-Bandera is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Charges may be amended, reduced, dismissed, or resolved during later proceedings.
This report is based only on the supplied booking information.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.