Inmates' accusations lead to charges against former Aitkin jailer

A former Aitkin County jailer faces charges of criminal sexual conduct stemming from accusations made by female inmates while they were in custody at the jail in 2004.

Jon Stephen Decent, 44, Ironton, was charged in December in Aitkin County District Court with two counts of felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He is free on his own recognizance and made his first court appearance on the charges on Jan. 11.

At the request of Aitkin County officials, the Cass County Sheriff's Department investigated the case and the Cass County attorney's office is prosecuting.

According to the statement of probable cause in the case, a female inmate at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Shakopee in October filled out a prison questionnaire and stated she had been sexually assaulted while at the Aitkin County jail.

In an interview with a Cass County sheriff's investigator, the inmate said a jailer, whom she identified from a photo as Decent, repeatedly asked her to show her breasts and on one occasion had entered her cell and placed his hands in her pants.

Two other women who in 2004 were at the Aitkin County jail were identified as possible victims, and during interviews with the sheriff's investigator gave similar statements as the first victim.

The investigator also interviewed Decent, who said that on multiple occasions all three of the victims had exposed their breasts to him and that on some occasion they would lift their skirts as he walked by. On other occasions he would make a motion with his hand indicating that he would like them to lift their shirt and they often complied with this request, he told the investigator. He also admitted to putting his hands in the pants of two of the victims.

Decent's next court date in Aitkin County is at 1:30 p.m. on March 15.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.