MONROE — A status conference was scheduled for Thursday on charges a New Glarus man allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl and pointed a gun at her head.

Desmond Townsend, 21, has been charge in Green County Circuit Court 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 an apartment complex in New Glarus and at an apartment in McFarland. In some cases, according to police reports, the victim allegedly “consented” to having sexual relations with the defendant after repeated requests from Townsend, but a minor cannot consent to have sex with an adult under state and federal law.

The gun incident occurred while the victim and some friends were swimming at a location somewhere 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 also reportedly pulled a knife on the victim at one point.

Police in the court documents questioned why there was a delay in the victim’s reporting of the alleged crimes.

“I asked (the victim) why she waited until today to report this incident,” police said in the criminal complaint, filed in circuit court. “(She) said that she was scared of Townsend.” She also said that she was afraid she’d “make her mother upset.”

A motion hearing in the case also has been set for 9 a.m. on Nov. 7, during which the judge will rule on numerous objections to prosecution motions documented by the defense in court records.