Bismarck man is accused of sexually abusing an acquaintance

Jasper Tsosie, 42, was charged with one count of gross sexual assault using force and one count of hindering arrest. The charges followed an incident at an East Arbor Avenue apartment Saturday just after 5:30 p.m.

According to an affidavit, a woman told police that Tsosie sexually abused her and locked herself and her teenage daughter in a bedroom. The caller added that she was bleeding and that her attacker was trying to get through the locked bedroom door.

When police entered the apartment, Tsosie allegedly opened the door, the affidavit states. Police said they then heard crying from inside, but Tsosie said “everything was fine” and tried to close the door, prompting police to push the door open and order the man to come out. It took multiple officers to arrest Tsosie.

After his arrest, officers spoke with the caller who said she had known Tsosie for about a year and that the two had been drinking together. During that time, Tsosie went into another room and the woman went to check on him some time later, at which point Tsosie allegedly pushed her to the ground and began sexually assaulting her, the affidavit states.

Police also spoke with the woman’s daughter, who said she allegedly heard crying and saw Tsosie on top of her mother, the document said.

Tsosie is being held at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center on a $200,000 bond, which was set at a court appearance Monday.

Burleigh County Assistant Prosecutor Dennis Ingold said the bond was appropriate based on Tsosie’s prior criminal history, which included a number of failures to appear in court in previous cases as well as previous violations of court orders regarding field sobriety tests, and because Tsosie is the subject of There were two separate arrest warrants when he was taken into custody.

Defense attorney Joshua Weatherspoon recommended $5,000 bail, noting that Tsosi’s previous criminal history included only misdemeanors and that he had completed probation orders ordered in previous cases.

Tsosie’s next court date is a preliminary hearing scheduled for November 24. If he goes to trial, Tsosie will enter his pleas at that time.