A twice-convicted rapist who was bailed out of jail by the Minnesota Freedom Fund last summer after being charged in two new cases involving sexual assault, kidnapping and assault is now wanted on a felony warrant for failing to comply with conditions of his release, according to court records.
Alpha News reported last March that level 3 sex offender Christopher Don Boswell was facing 10 felony charges in two new cases, both of which included kidnapping and third-degree assault. Other charges in the cases included second-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree assault and threats of violence.
Boswell, now 38, had been previously convicted in two separate sexual assault cases, one with an unknown female teen and another with a known adult female. Boswell used force, threats and weapons to gain compliance from his victims in those cases, according to information from the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
Following charges last year in the two new cases, Boswell remained in custody for several months on high bail amounts until the Minnesota Freedom Fund paid $350,000 to bail him out, according to a Fox 9 report last August.
Recent court records indicate that a felony warrant was issued for Boswell’s arrest on Feb. 11 in one of the cases following a conditional release violation report and an order revoking Boswell’s interim conditions of release. At the time of this publication, Boswell remains at large on the warrant in that case in which he is charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of threats of violence and second and third-degree assault.
Records indicate the other case against Boswell involving four charges that included sexual assault and kidnapping was dismissed in October.
Minnesota Freedom Fund
The Minnesota Freedom Fund (MFF) gained notoriety during last spring’s fiery riots in Minneapolis after raising over $30 million. The organization solicited the donations during the riots on the premise that the money would be used to bail out protesters arrested during the demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody last May.
The bail fund gained steam after it was promoted by then-senator Kamala Harris and several members of Joe Biden’s presidential campaign staff, as well as celebrities including Don Cheadle, Seth Rogan, Chrissy Teigen, Steve Carell, Cynthia Nixon and others.
Since that time, however, it’s been reported that only a miniscule amount of the funds raised by MFF have been used to bail out protesters. Instead, the organization has used the funds to bail out several Minnesota offenders charged with violent crimes. In addition to Boswell, the fund has reportedly bailed out suspects charged with murder, attempted murder, assault and child rape.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman went so far as to make a public statement about MFF last month after it twice bailed out 29-year-old Thomas Moseley, a suspect Freeman described as raising “significant concerns for public safety.” Moseley was charged in October with bringing a gun into the Hennepin County Courthouse during a protest. Officers then executed a search warrant on Moseley’s vehicle where they found a cache of weapons, ammunition, tactical gear and narcotics. MFF paid $5,000 for Moseley’s unconditional release following the weapons charge.
Moseley was again arrested and charged with second-degree riot following a New Year’s Eve melee in downtown Minneapolis that involved vandalism and property damage. MFF again paid $60,000 for Moseley’s unconditional release following that charge.
Earlier this month, Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River, introduced a bill designed to regulate “charitable bail organizations” like Minnesota Freedom Fund. Language in HF583 would limit charitable bail organizations from depositing cash bail for felony offenses and would also prohibit them from providing cash bail in excess of $2,000, among other provisions.
Novotny also introduced HF128 which would make information about persons or entities posting bail for defendants a matter of accessible public record.
Novotny told an Alpha News reporter in a phone conversation earlier this month that he doesn’t expect the bills to get a hearing in the Democrat-controlled public safety committee. However, language in the bills could make it into a public safety omnibus bill, Novotny said.
– – –
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
