Roseville, Minn., police on Saturday announced the arrest of a sexual assault and kidnapping suspect who they say held a woman captive for several hours on Wednesday.
Pao Yang, 41, residing in Isanti, Minn., has now been charged in Ramsey County District Court with several felonies, including two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of kidnapping, first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
Police initially asked for the public’s help from anyone who may have witnessed or captured any part of the incident on surveillance video, home monitoring cameras, or dashcam videos from approximately 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Charges detail that as the woman left her workplace on Wednesday on the 1500 block of County Road C, she was confronted by a masked male wearing gloves who pointed a gun at her, later identified as Yang.
Yang demanded the woman’s vehicle and ordered her to put her head down and walk.
Although the incident is fully detailed in the criminal complaint, police specifically asked in a press briefing following the arrest that deep details from the incident not be shared in order to protect and respect the victim.
Police summarized that the woman was held captive for about 8 hours and was forced to change her clothes before being released on the east side of St. Paul around 1 a.m. Thursday, where she was able to make a call for help.
Police were ultimately able to trace the clothing the victim was forced to change into back to a Target store in Blaine, and from further investigation, Yang was able to be identified.
Yang was tracked to Maryland and Rice Street in St. Paul on Friday evening, where he was arrested without incident about 8:30 p.m., with assistance from the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
A search warrant was subsequently executed at Yang’s residence in Isanti, where several guns were recovered along with other items connected to the crime.
Roseville police said they had no prior contact with Yang, and they do not believe the victim and Yang were known to each other. Investigators are still working to determine if the victim was specifically targeted, and if so, why.
Yang made a first court appearance on Monday where he requested a language interpreter and was denied a public defender.
Yang remains in custody on $2.5 million bail and his next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 2.
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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.
