Faribault Man Sentenced to Nearly 12 Years in Prison in Dakota County Child Sexual Assault Case
Provided by Dakota County Jail.
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA: A Faribault man with a lengthy history of sexual offense convictions in Canada has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in Minnesota state prison following his conviction in a Dakota County child sexual assault case.
John Anton Rouse, 69, was sentenced on January 14, 2026, in Dakota County District Court to 140 months in prison after entering an Alford guilty plea to Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Second Degree, involving sexual contact with a child under the age of 14. Under an Alford plea, a defendant maintains innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution’s evidence would likely result in a conviction at trial.
Dakota County Investigation
According to court records, the case originated in September 2023, when Dakota County Social Services received a report alleging sexual abuse involving a child in Apple Valley. Investigators learned that Rouse had been renting a room in a residence where the child lived during part of late 2022 and early 2023.
Following interviews conducted by social services and law enforcement, prosecutors determined there was probable cause to charge Rouse with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, citing the child’s age and Rouse’s significant relationship to the victim. The investigation included interviews with family members and a statement from Rouse.
Guilty Plea Agreement
On October 27, 2025, Rouse formally entered an Alford guilty plea in Dakota County District Court. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the original first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge in exchange for a conviction on a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge, which carries a lower statutory maximum but still mandates a lengthy prison sentence.
Court filings show the plea agreement was based on Minnesota sentencing guidelines, with an agreed-upon presumptive sentencing range of 120 to 140 months in prison. Rouse acknowledged in court that, despite maintaining his claim of innocence, he believed a jury would likely find him guilty based on the state’s evidence.
Sentencing and Prison Term
At sentencing on January 14, 2026, the court imposed the maximum sentence permitted under the plea agreement: 140 months (11 years and 8 months) in state prison. Rouse was committed to the custody of the Minnesota Department of Corrections, with placement at the Minnesota Correctional Facility–St. Cloud.
The court awarded 834 days of jail credit for time already served. Under Minnesota law, Rouse must serve at least two-thirds of the executed sentence in custody, with the remaining portion eligible for supervised release.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered:
Lifetime conditional release following incarceration and supervised release
Predatory offender registration
No contact with the victim
Submission of a DNA sample
The sentencing order was signed by Judge Kathryn Iverson of Dakota County District Court.
Prior Convictions in Canada
Court records and extradition documents reviewed by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office show that Rouse has an extensive criminal history involving sexual offenses against minors in Canada, spanning multiple years.
According to federal extradition paperwork, Rouse was extradited from Utah to Canada in the mid-2000s after being charged with sexual offenses involving two minor children. Those cases resulted in convictions for multiple offenses, including sexual assault, sexual interference, child exploitation-related offenses, and incest. Although the Canadian court records list multiple convictions and sentence lengths, many of those sentences were imposed concurrently. As a result, Rouse served several years in Canadian custody, including a six-year prison term, followed by additional incarceration after a later extradition tied to a 2016 case, with additional sexual offenses involving a minor. He was extradited back to Canada a second time and sentenced to prison again before ultimately returning to the U.S.
Exhibits submitted to the court indicate that the victims in the Canadian cases were children and teenagers, with ages ranging from approximately 9 years to late adolescence at the time of the offenses. Prosecutors described the Canadian cases as reflecting a long-term pattern of sexual offending, rather than isolated incidents.
This article is based on court records, criminal complaints, plea documents, extradition filings, and sentencing orders. All explicit and graphic details have been intentionally omitted in accordance with responsible reporting standards.
Written by: Will Wight
