BEMIDJI — A 22-year-old basketball player from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and a member of the Bemidji State men’s basketball team, has been charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges are related to his alleged engagement in sexual conduct with a 15-year-old girl whom he met online.

The criminal complaint reveals that in early October, a 15-year-old girl provided a statement to law enforcement regarding an ongoing investigation of child sexual abuse. According to her statement, she encountered a man named Colin Schaefer, who was later identified as Colin Thomas Rudolph Schaefer, aged 22 and hailing from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, through the popular social media platforms Tinder and Snapchat.

According to the complaint, the underage girl disclosed that she engaged in sexual activity with Schaefer on two occasions. The encounters reportedly took place in a vehicle driven by Schaefer in the vicinity of Lake Avenue in Bemidji, Minnesota.

The concerning incident has prompted legal action against Schaefer, who now faces charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The legal process will determine the outcome of these allegations, and the Bemidji State men’s basketball team will undoubtedly be closely monitoring the situation.

To read more about this case, please visit the Bemidji Pioneer.