Apple Valley Man Charged With First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, Strangulation
Published: September 30th, 2026.
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA: An Apple Valley man is facing three felony charges after prosecutors allege he sexually assaulted and strangled an adult woman at a residence in August.
Justin Tyler Starr, 18, has been charged in Dakota County District Court with first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving personal injury and force, third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim who was allegedly physically helpless or otherwise incapacitated, and domestic assault by strangulation.
According to the criminal complaint, the Apple Valley Police Department received a report on Aug. 11 regarding an alleged sexual assault that occurred overnight on August 10, 2026. An officer responded to a hospital, where medical staff reported that an adult woman had disclosed being sexually assaulted and strangled by a former boyfriend. Hospital staff observed bruising on the woman's neck and hips, according to the complaint.
Limitless Media is withholding the victim's identity and certain details contained in the criminal complaint to protect her privacy.
Complaint Details Allegations
The woman initially did not wish to speak with law enforcement at the hospital but spoke with an Apple Valley detective the following morning. According to the complaint, the woman told investigators that she and Starr had previously been in a relationship and had recently reconnected after several years apart.
The complaint alleges the two met at a residence on August 6th to watch movies. During that encounter, the woman alleged Starr touched her in ways that made her uncomfortable despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. Several days later, during the early morning hours of August 10th, the woman returned to the residence and went with Starr to a basement bedroom to watch movies, according to the complaint.
The woman told investigators that some initial physical contact between the two was consensual but that she later began experiencing unexplained numbness in her face. Investigators said Starr sent her a text message at approximately 4:49 a.m. referencing her face becoming numb. Prosecutors allege Starr subsequently initiated sexual contact despite the woman repeatedly telling him to stop and attempting to push his hands away. The complaint alleges Starr then restrained the woman and applied significant pressure to her neck while sexually assaulting her.
The woman reported that the pressure prevented her from breathing or speaking and caused her to become dizzy and experience blurred vision. She told investigators she tried to pull away but could not free herself, according to the complaint. At the time she spoke with investigators, the woman reportedly continued to experience pain, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty speaking.
The complaint further alleges that after the initial assault ended, the woman remained at the residence because she was afraid and eventually fell asleep. She later reported waking to additional nonconsensual sexual contact before Starr stopped and she was able to leave the residence.
Text Messages Provided to Investigators
The woman provided investigators with text messages exchanged between herself and Starr, including messages sent after she left the residence. According to prosecutors, the messages corroborated portions of the woman's account. The complaint states Starr apologized for his actions in the messages while allegedly minimizing his behavior.
A detective interviewed Starr on August 24th. According to the complaint, Starr acknowledged that he and the woman had previously been in a relationship and had recently reconnected. Starr allegedly told investigators that he did not have a clear memory of what happened because he had been intoxicated. When questioned about the alleged sexual contact, Starr did not deny that penetration may have occurred but told investigators he did not know whether it had, according to the complaint.
The complaint states Starr told the detective that he apologized because the woman told him she "didn't want it."
Starr also reportedly told investigators he did not remember strangling the woman. When asked about his level of intoxication that night, Starr allegedly said he was "definitely not 100% in control."
DNA Testing Cited in Complaint
Investigators collected a DNA sample from Starr following the interview and submitted it to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for comparison with evidence collected during the woman's sexual assault examination.
According to the criminal complaint, laboratory testing identified male DNA from multiple samples collected during the examination. Prosecutors say Starr matched the male DNA profiles from four samples, with the complaint reporting a statistical probability greater than 100 billion in support of the match.
Three Felony Charges Filed
Starr is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving personal injury and force, a felony carrying a potential sentence of 12 to 30 years in prison and/or a fine ranging from $12,000 to $40,000. He is also charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim who was allegedly mentally impaired, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $30,000. The third count, domestic assault by strangulation, carries a maximum potential sentence of three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
Because of the nature of the allegations, prosecutors asked the court to issue the complaint by bench warrant and to hold Starr until he can be brought before the court to consider conditions of release. Jail records show the warrant was executed on September 28, 2026, and Starr was taken into custody just after 2 PM. The prosecution requested that bond be set at $150,000 with conditions. The judge ultimately set it at $140,000 with conditions.
The allegations contained in the criminal complaint are accusations and have not been proven in court. Starr is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The case remains pending in Dakota County District Court.
Pictured: Justin Tyler Starr. Provided by the Dakota County Jail.
