Priest Charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct, Allegedly Took Place in Mendota Heights

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced last month that Jacob Andrew Bertrand, 33, who is an ordained Catholic priest currently assigned to the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, California, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree in connection with alleged sexual penetration of a woman occurring in June or July of 2010 in Dakota County, officials say.

The criminal complaint alleges that the sexual conduct occurred while Bertrand was providing a private mass for the victim in the basement of her parent’s home in Mendota Heights, according to a news release.

“It is a felony under Minnesota law for any member of the clergy to have sexual relations with an individual who is not their spouse, during the course of a meeting in which religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort is given, or while ongoing religious or spiritual advice, aid, or comfort is occurring," Backstrom said in a statement.

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