Becker County (trfnews.i234.me) — Two men face separate child sex crime charges in Becker County District Court.
Prosecutors have charged 37-year-old Jonas Allen Zion of Frazee.
He is accused of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Court documents say the alleged victim is younger than 13.
Zion is reported to be more than three years older than the child.
A Frazee police officer took a report on September 7, 2025.
The report involved a past sexual assault of a minor girl.
Investigators say Zion sexually touched the girl on more than one occasion.
The complaint states that Zion admitted he touched the girl and said it was wrong.
During a later interview on September 16, he said the contact was accidental.
He also said the event had troubled him for years.
A summons was issued for Zion on November 19.
His first court appearance is set for December 30 before Judge Gretchen D. Thilmony.
In a different case, 35-year-old Joshua Arnold Carpenter of Knox, Indiana, faces the same felony charge.
He is also accused of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under 13.
On May 29, 2025, a Becker County Sheriff’s Office investigator took a new report.
A man said he was abused as a child between the ages of 7 and 10.
The incident reportedly took place near a cemetery behind a church in Becker County.
The man told investigators he had been at vacation Bible school.
He said Carpenter called him into the nearby woods by the cemetery.
Once there, Carpenter allegedly had sexual contact with him.
The man said he did not tell anyone until a recent visit with his sister.
He then reported the abuse to law enforcement.
A summons for Carpenter was issued on November 19.
His first court date is also set for December 30 before Judge Thilmony.
Second-degree criminal sexual conduct can bring long prison terms and strict supervision.
The law is detailed in Minnesota Statute 609.343, available on the state website.
Help for survivors of child abuse is available through Childhelp’s 24/7 hotline and other victim support services.
More information on Minnesota court cases is posted at the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
These charges are allegations.
Jonas Allen Zion and Joshua Arnold Carpenter are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
