WINDOM — A 21-year-old Windom man will not serve prison time for having sexually assaulted three vulnerable adults, it was determined Tuesday.
Samuel Sandbo was arrested and charged with two counts of felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct in November 2019 after coming forward about forcibly penetrating two adults in his care at PRL Habilitative Services Inc. in Windom, as well as inappropriately touching a vulnerable adult in Jackson County, which garnered an additional charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The Cottonwood County and Jackson County attorneys' offices have coordinated in Sandbo's prosecution.
Sandbo's Cottonwood County sentencing occurred Tuesday, during which Fifth Judicial District Judge Christina Wietzema explained that the presumptive sentence (or the "normal" sentence based on the severity of Sandbo's crime) is 48 months for the first offense and 76 months for the second. However, both the prosecutor and defense counsel recommended to Wietzema that Sandbo be allowed to serve 180 days in the county jail and then be placed on probation. They justified this recommendation based on Sandbo's confession of guilt and willingness to cooperate with probation conditions.
Wietzema sentenced Sandbo to 180 days in jail — which he will be allowed to serve in Jackson County, where he resides — followed by 15 years of supervised probation. Terms of his probation include: zero contact with minors or vulnerable adults or with the victims or their families; no possession or use of pornography or dating applications (with monitoring software on each of his electronic devices); enrollment in a sex offender treatment program; and registration as a predatory offender. He must also pay a $500 fine and $100 in restitution to his victims.
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"Your life will be limited and restricted in ways that you may not even understand," Wietzema told Sandbo, "but this is an opportunity you shouldn't take lightly.
"The crimes you committed are nothing less than horrible," she added. "This criminal sexual conduct is a nightmare for these families."
Sandbo is scheduled to receive his sentencing on the Jackson County case June 22.
The Southwest Crisis Center is available in our community to support and empower survivors of sexual and domestic violence. For questions about services or how you can help contact the Southwest Crisis Center at 800-376-4311 or mnswcc.org .
