Charges: State trooper drunkenly groped colleague during training at Camp Ripley

A Minnesota state trooper remains on leave as he faces criminal charges over accusations that he sexually assaulted a fellow state trooper during an annual training at Camp Ripley.

Morrison County prosecutors charged Jacob Nathaniel Christopherson, 30, with one count of fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the Aug. 6 incident.

According to a criminal complaint, the victim and Christopherson were among a cohort of state troopers attending an annual use-of-force instructor recertification. The victim said this was her fourth year going through this training with Christopherson, and it was common for state troopers to go out for dinner and drinks at the end of the day.

The night of Aug. 6, the victim was sitting by a fire pit outside the bar on the grounds of Camp Ripley when Christopherson emerged from the bar with a pitcher. He appeared to be drunk and was spilling the pitcher as he walked to the fire pit, the complaint states.

Christopherson sat next to the victim on the bench and put his arm around her. The victim, who was not drinking, recalled Christopherson getting very close to her and asking if “she wanted to go back to his room” and winking at her.

The victim told investigators that Christopherson’s behavior was “out of left field” and that she thought of their relationship “as like a brother and sister.”

The situation escalated when Christopherson allegedly grabbed the victim’s breast while his arm was around her. Another trooper saw this and went to get Christopherson off the bench and back to his lodging. The victim volunteered to help escort him, and on the way, Christopherson “bear hugged” the victim from behind and squeezed both of her breasts, the complaint states.

Charging documents add that the victim felt “pretty freaked out” by the ordeal and that she feared Christopherson would have escalated further if the third trooper was not present.

“At this time, Mr. Christopherson remains on leave,” Minnesota State Patrol spokesman Lt. Mike Lee said in a statement. “Due to the open criminal investigation, we are unable to comment at this time.”

Christopherson was charged via summons and is due to make his first court appearance on Dec. 1.
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