Minnesota man arrested for third-degree sexual abuse in Newton

A 19-year-old man from Minneapolis, Minn., is accused of third-degree sexual abuse that police allege took place in Newton. Xian M. Wanjala has since been arrested and charged for the alleged assault, which is a Class C felony in Iowa and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint against Wanjala, the police department received a report from the victim on July 25 that she was sexually assaulted in her home by an unknown male she knew as “Z.” She had met Wanjala on social media and invited him to her home. He spent the night on July 24.

By the next morning, the victim said Wanjala forcibly removed her pants and laid on top of her. She told him to stop and that she did not want to have sex with him. After the sexual assault, the victim contacted a family member by phone to seek advice on what to do. Wanjala was still in the home when she called.

The family member told the victim to call the police, but Wanjala was able to hear the conversation and ended the call by physically assaulting the victim. She told police that Wanjala choked her by placing his hand around her neck. During the struggle she was pushed into a wall light switch.

Call history of the victim was consistent with her statement to police, and it showed she did call her family member and then 911 afterward. She said Wanjala fled by vehicle after the physical assault. She was able to provide police with a photo of his license plate and a photo of him from his social media profile.

Newton Police Department spoke with the family member who was on the phone at the time of the physical assault. The relative told police the victim’s voice was scared and shaky, and that she told them she was sexually assaulted. The family member also confirmed the phone call was interrupted and ended abruptly.

When officers inspected the room in which the assaults occurred, they found a light switch was broken and damaged. The victim also had a handprint-shaped bruise to her neck. Police found the license plate was registered to Wanjala. His driver’s license photo matched the photo of him from social media.

Officers interviewed Wanjala by phone. He confirmed he was in Newton on or about the day the alleged assaults took place. He also confirmed he met with the victim, but he claimed their sex was consensual. He denied any injuries occurred during his time with the victim.

Wanjala was arrested at the Polk County Jail and was transported to the Jasper County Jail by an officer by the Newton Police Department.