MONROE — A Sun Prairie man was set to appear in Green County Circuit Court this week on charges he repeatedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and pointed a gun at her head.

Desmond Townsend, 21, has been charge with numerous felonies for acts that allegedly began in the summer of 2020, including several counts of physical abuse of a child, a single count of pointing a firearm at another, sexual assault of a child under 16, possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation of a child; and attempted sexual assault of a child under 16.

Most of the acts occurred between the suspect and the 14-year-old victim at the School House Apartments in New Glarus; and at a relative’s apartment in McFarland. In some cases, according to police reports, she “consented” to having sex after repeated requests from Townsend but a minor cannot consent to have sex with an adult under state and federal law.

The man and his friends allegedly took short videos of the victim being sexually assaulted and at one point, Townsend threatened her with a gun; and allegedly committed other acts of violence against her.

The gun incident occurred while the victim and friends were swimming at a location off Wis. 69 in August, of 2020. 

“(Victim 1) said that she got into an argument with Desmond,” said a criminal complaint. “Desmond pulled a gun and put it to (Victim 1’s) head.”

Townsend, according to the complaint, denied ever having a gun. He faces, potentially, decades in prison if convicted on the charges. He remains in Green County Jail on $10,000 bond.