5/16/2010: Red Wing man accused of raping boy

Police confiscated multiple computers this week belonging to a Red Wing man accused of raping a 3-year-old boy.

Goodhue County prosecutors on Tuesday charged Nicolas Ryan Heath, 27, with five felonies, including two charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

He was being held Thursday on a $250,000 unconditional bond or a $100,000 bond with conditions including he submit to GPS and alcohol monitoring.

Police seized Heath's numerous computers and were in the process Thursday of obtaining search warrants.

The allegations surfaced earlier this month after the boy told his mother that Heath had sexually assaulted him. According to the charges, Heath held a significant relationship over the child.

Investigators said the child's admission seemed to coincide with a dramatic change in the boy's temperament and bathroom habits.

The boy also told others, including a child abuse official, that Heath "hurts me." During a forensic and medical examination, the child described the nature of the alleged abuse and the frequency.

"When asked if this happened once or more than one time, the (child) held up both hands and spread his fingers to show the number 10," a criminal complaint states.

Assistant Goodhue County Attorney Erin Kuester said Heath denied accusations that he sexually penetrated the boy. Heath said he had noticed that the boy had become afraid of him, but apparently blamed it on an especially strong spanking.

He also told a Red Wing police investigator that he had been abused as a child.

Heath allegedly admitted to investigators that he had monitored the mother's phone calls for three weeks and told police he had been tracking the police investigation.

He reportedly owns several computers, all of which were password-protected, including a laptop he kept in his vehicle.

Kuester said Heath has no adult convictions.

If convicted on one of the first-degree charges, Heath faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $40,000 fine.

His next hearing is June 11.

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