A registered predatory sexual offender pleaded guilty Monday to assaulting a woman in the bathroom of the Government Services Center in October.
Under the plea agreement, Nicholas Thomas Stroeder, 19, pleaded guilty to one felony count of criminal sexual predatory conduct. A second count was dropped. The state will not ask for a sentence longer than what state sentencing guidelines call for, and the defense retains its right to ask for a shorter sentence.
Stroeder was originally charged with two counts of criminal sexual predatory conduct and two counts of first-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct in connection with the Oct. 3 assault. The attempted criminal sexual conduct charges were dismissed in June.
Sixth Judicial District Judge Eric Hylden accepted the plea agreement and scheduled sentencing for Nov. 3.
Stroeder is a registered Level 3 predatory offender -- considered the highest risk to reoffend -- and was living in the Duluth Bethel Society work-release program after being released from prison. He was at the Government Services Center while looking for work.
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Under oath, and responding to questions from St. Louis County prosecutor James Nephew, Stroeder admitted that he saw a woman carrying a black bag enter a second-floor bathroom. After looking around, he entered the washroom and barged into the bathroom stall she was in. He admitted that he put his hands around her neck, choked and threatened to kill her. He also admitted to putting a hand over the woman's mouth when she began screaming.
In the criminal complaint, the woman said she believed she was fighting for her life. She was able to break free and run down the hall to an office to call 911. A large group ran to the scene and stopped Stroeder from leaving.
A security camera captured images of the defendant, victim and witnesses before, during and after the offense.
Police said Stroeder denied attempting to sexually assault the victim and said he was trying to rob her, police said.
While denying Monday that he tried to sexually assault the woman, he agreed there was more than enough evidence against him that his sexual impulses were a motivation in the attempted robbery.
Stroeder is from Oak Harbor, Wash., but he was in the Mesabi Academy juvenile detention center in Buhl when he was convicted of the Nov. 21, 2005, sexual assault of a staff person there. He was 16. That incident also took place in a bathroom. He was charged in juvenile court with first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was then certified to stand trial as an adult and pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He was sentenced to the Department of Corrections, to be followed by 10 years of conditional release.
Stroeder is being held in the St. Louis County Jail.
