Woman raped, Shorewood man charged

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 2/6/03

Police officers from the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department found a young woman walking on Highway 169 around 3 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2. The woman was crying and told the officers she had been raped.

The victim, who is from Onamia, said she had met a man at the Blue Goose Inn in Garrison and that she was receiving a ride home from three men in an SUV.

Instead of bringing her home, they drove out to a fish house on Mille Lacs Lake.

After approximately 10 minutes, the victim requested to be taken home.

One of the men said he would go with her and the driver, but the driver said no one was going with them.

The driver, Joel Vincent Blatz, 39, of Shorewood, then drove off the lake and headed south on Highway 169. He then drove on some back roads and eventually to a cul-de-sac where he raped the woman.

After receiving medical treatment, the woman showed police officers where the assault occurred and then brought them to the fish house.

Several men were leaving the fish house when the woman identified Blatz as the man who raped her.

Blatz has been charged with criminal sexual conduct in the first degree which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and/or a $40,000 fine, with a 144 month mandatory minimum.

He was also charged with criminal sexual conduct in the second degree which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and/or a $35,000 fine.

Blatz appeared in Mille Lacs County District Court on Monday, Feb. 3.

Judge Michael Jesse set unconditional bail at $50,000 and conditional bail at $25,000.

A $25,000 bond was posted on Monday, Feb. 3 for Blatz and he was released from Mille Lacs County Jail.

Blatz is the brother of the Minnesota Chief Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Blatz.