Lakewood Township man admits to sexual assault of minors

DULUTH- A Lakewood Township man confessed to St. Louis County sheriff’s deputies that he sexually assaulted two minors over the course of several years, according to charges filed this week.

Forty-year-old Patrick Neil Bruckelmyer was arraigned Wednesday in State District Court on five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He allegedly told officers that he was coming forward with the information because he says he doesn’t want it to happen anymore. A criminal complaint states that Bruckelmyer confessed to a preacher, who called Bruckelmyer’s brother and asked him to drive the defendant to the police department.

In a statement, Bruckelmyer allegedly admitted to approximately 10 instances sexual assault toward one victim from preteen to early teen ages. He reportedly also admitted to touching another preteen in a sexual manner on at least one occasion.

The two victims were interviewed separately on Tuesday and confirmed Brucklemyer’s  numerous admissions of assault, according to the complaint.