By Patrick Tepoorten and Joe Drennan

Peter Charles Ramberg, the 40-year-old Forest Lake man accused in the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, had his first appearance in court last Wednesday. The ìRule 8 Hearingî established the continuance of Rambergís terms of bail, and a motion by prosecuting attorney Joseph Cox to collect DNA samples from Ramberg was approved by district court judge John. R. McBride.

Ramberg, who was represented by defense attorney Paul Rogosheske from South St. Paul, did not choose to enter a plea at that time.

An omnibus hearing in the matter has been scheduled for May 15. According to Chisago County Attorney Katherine Johnson, an omnibus hearing is a chance for the court to hear any motions or rule on any issues brought forth by either the prosecution or the defense.

Provided a plea agreement is not reached, or Ramberg pleads not guilty to the crime for which he is charged, the case would move into the pre-trail phase, followed by the trial itself.

Ramberg is charged with three counts of criminal sexual assault in relation to an incident that occurred on the night of Nov. 30. According to the criminal complaint, Ramberg is accused of forcing himself on an intoxicated 13-year-old girl who had passed out in his vehicle.

It was later discovered that Ramberg carries the Hepatitis C virus. It is unknown if the victim in the case has contracted the disease.

Prior to these latest allegations, Ramberg had only one criminal conviction in Minnesota, according the Bureau of Criminal Apprehensionís Computerized Criminal History. In late March of 2004 Ramberg was convicted of misdemeanor Driving While Impaired due to alcohol. He served 90 days for the offense and remains on probation.

Additional charges

Ramberg is not the only one being charged in the incident. The mother of the victim will be charged with providing alcohol to a person under 21, according to Forest Lake City Attorney Mike Welch.

Welch says there will be no charges against the bar where the minor consumed her alcohol because there was no evidence that bar personnel knowingly served a minor.

ìThe information I have is that the juvenile was at the establishment for less than a half hour, and within that time was advised (by bar personnel) that she would have to leave,î Welch said.

The papers to charge the mother are still being filed in Washington County Court this week.

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