Man linked to Wetterling disappearance sued in civil court
Published 9:32 am Thursday, May 12, 2016
ST. CLOUD — The victim of a 1989 sexual assault in Cold Spring is suing the man he says attacked him as a boy and who has been named as a person of interest in the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling.
The St. Cloud Times says Jared Scheierl’s lawsuit, filed in Sherburne County District Court, accuses Danny James Heinrich of sexual battery and false imprisonment. The Associated Press typically doesn’t identify victims of sexual assault, but Scheierl has spoken publicly for years about his case, saying it could lead investigators to Jacob’s kidnapper.
Heinrich is jailed on charges of possessing or receiving child pornography. Authorities have linked Heinrich to the attack on Scheierl, but the statute of limitations on charges has expired. Investigators say Heinrich is a person of interest in Jacob’s disappearance in 1989. Heinrich has denied involvement in both cases.