Warning: This report contains details that some may find disturbing
A St. Paul man who led police on a wild chase across the east metro and into Wisconsin before crashing Wednesday afternoon has now been charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and burglary for a drug-fueled episode earlier this month during which he told the victim that “Satan” made him do it, according to a Hennepin County criminal complaint filed on Thursday.
The complaint says that Jeffrey Morgan Groves, 51, was smoking methamphetamine when he broke into the victim’s home on Parklands Road in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 3. He jerked open her bedroom door and stated, “I’m going to get you, you f–king b—h.” Groves proceeded to rip off the woman’s pajama top and removed a cord from a duffel bag he had brought into the room and tied her up with it. He also put a pillowcase over her head and repeatedly brutally raped and physically abused her over the course of several hours.
At one point, Groves untied the victim, described in the complaint as an “elderly” woman, and removed the pillowcase from her head so she could comply with his demand to “put on a sexy nightgown.” It was at that point that the victim was able to confirm the identity of Groves as a former handyman that she had once employed, the complaint said.
Groves eventually took $400 in cash from the victim’s residence as well as a suitcase full of her clothing. He then gagged her and tied her wrists again and put her in his vehicle and drove her to various ATMs to withdraw $800 more in cash and threatened to shoot her if she tried anything. Upon returning the victim to her home, Groves drank alcohol and then collected the sheets and comforter from the victim’s bed along with the glass he’d been drinking from, and left victim’s house. Before leaving, Groves apologized to the victim for raping her, and told her that “Satan” made him do it, the complaint said.
The victim underwent a sexual assault exam later that day that revealed significant bruising and injuries over her entire body as well as injuries consistent with sexual assault. A search warrant was executed at Groves’ residence in St. Paul on Nov. 7 where investigators located items described in the assault as well as a methamphetamine smoking pipe and the victim’s bedding.
Law enforcement officers located Groves on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop and arrest him. Groves fled, leading police on a high-speed pursuit across the east metro and into Hudson, Wisconsin where police executed a PIT maneuver to stop the vehicle and apprehend Groves after he crashed into an unoccupied vehicle.
Groves is no stranger to breaking the law. He has over fifty criminal convictions in Minnesota including burglary, theft and receiving stolen property as well as several domestic related convictions involving assault and violation of protection orders. His convictions include nine felonies, seven of them since 2013. Groves was also recently implicated in the theft of thousands of dollars’ worth of construction tools and trailers from Twin Cities area businesses.
In Groves’ most recent case, he pleaded guilty in August in Ramsey County to felony receiving stolen property and was out of custody awaiting sentencing. Groves was scheduled to appear at a hearing in that case on Nov. 1, two days prior to the alleged sexual assault, but failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Groves had two felony convictions in 2016 and one in 2017 in Ramsey County, all on violation of protection orders. He was sentenced to 27 months, 30 months and 39 months in prison, respectively, in the cases. However, all three sentences in those cases were stayed by Judge Rosanne Nathanson in 2016 and Judge Thomas Gilligan, Jr., in 2017, and Groves was alternatively sentenced to electronic home monitoring or the workhouse and placed on probation in the cases.
In 2013, Groves was convicted in three separate felony cases, two for burglary and one for receiving stolen property. He was allowed to serve all three sentences concurrently by Ramsey County Judge Lezlie Ott Marek.
Groves has been charged with three felony counts in the St. Louis Park incident: first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving force or coercion, kidnapping and first-degree burglary involving assault. Groves faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on the sexual assault charge and 20 years on each of the other two counts. Groves is reportedly in Regions Hospital in critical condition following Wednesday’s pursuit and crash. Court records show that Groves is facing a $500,000 bail amount and his first court appearance has not yet been scheduled. Follow Alpha News for updates on this case.
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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.
