Moorhead Man Charged With Rape, Strangulation

MOORHEAD, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A 46-year-old Moorhead man faces three felony charges following an alleged sexual assault and strangulation inside a home.

Shane Dennis Gorden is accused of sexually assaulting, choking, and physically attacking a woman on October 13, 2026.

According to a criminal complaint, the allegations surfaced after family members contacted police about a domestic assault.

Gorden is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic assault by strangulation, and felony domestic assault involving prior convictions.

Family Member Reports Alleged Assault

Moorhead police responded to a domestic assault report around 8:43 p.m. on October 13.

According to court documents, the woman’s son told investigators his mother had been assaulted earlier that day.

He identified Gorden as the person allegedly responsible.

Officers contacted the woman to investigate what had happened inside the home.

The complaint states she initially told police she wanted Gorden removed from her residence.

She also acknowledged that Gorden had struck her.

However, investigators reported that she was reluctant to provide further details about the incident.

Granddaughter Provides Video to Police

Investigators later received a video from the woman’s granddaughter.

According to the complaint, the granddaughter recorded the video earlier that day.

In the recording, the woman reportedly described being thrown to the ground and sexually assaulted.

She also alleged that Gorden choked her until she could no longer breathe.

The granddaughter told investigators she recorded the woman’s account because she feared the allegations would later be denied.

Police included information from the recording in their investigation, according to the complaint.

The supplied account does not indicate that the video captured the alleged assault itself.

Three Felony Charges Filed

Following the investigation, prosecutors filed three felony charges against Gorden in Clay County District Court.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct: Prosecutors allege Gorden committed a sexual assault involving force.

Domestic assault by strangulation: The complaint alleges Gorden restricted the woman’s breathing by choking her.

Felony domestic assault: The charge also cites Gorden’s previous domestic assault convictions.

Minnesota law treats these allegations as serious criminal offenses, with potential prison sentences upon conviction.

Readers can review Minnesota’s first-degree criminal sexual conduct law.

Additional information is available under Minnesota’s domestic assault by strangulation statute.

Previous Domestic Assault Convictions

Court records cited in the report identify two previous domestic assault convictions involving Gorden.

He was convicted of felony domestic assault in January 2022.

Records also show a gross misdemeanor domestic assault conviction from December 2025.

Those convictions are relevant to the new felony domestic assault charge.

The supplied information does not provide Gorden’s current bail amount or upcoming court dates.

Case Moves Through Clay County Court

The charges are being handled in Clay County District Court.

Additional case information may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.

The allegations described in the criminal complaint have not been proven in court.

Gorden is presumed innocent of the new charges unless and until proven guilty.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.