Bismarck Man Facing Multiple Sex Crime Charges Against 15 Minors

All 15 alleged victims were females in their early teens with each case being a separate incident.

FARGO, N.D. — The U.S. Attorney for North Dakota says 21-year-old Dawson Rouse of Bismarck is facing 27 federal indictments of sexual exploitation of children, the corrosion of sexual exploitation of minors and the creation and transfer of obscene material involving minors.

All 15 alleged victims were females in their early teens with each case being a separate incident.

With cases from all across the state, including Cass County.

“I have not seen a case that started off out of the gate, having this number of alleged victims, in a crime of this type that we are alleging in this kind of document and so we are on high alert.”

Investigators say the case was taken to the federal level because of the severity of charges and also to properly prosecute to the full extent of the law.

Court documents show Rouse talked with the victims over social media platforms including Snapchat.

Some cases dating back to 2018.

“A significant number of young people have less supervision because parents have to work and they were not in school for some months that they otherwise would. Those are not the causes but those are opportunities for people who want to commit crimes like this.”

Investigators say they are worried about more victims who may not have come forward yet.

They are asking parents to check with their kids, if they are worried they may be connected to the case.

“We want people to feel empowered. Anyone who has been victimized and who wants to allege conduct, it needs to be investigated and we want them to come forward and I think a good place to start is to call the United State Attorney’s Office and we will have them in touch with investigators involved with this case.”

Rouse was taken into federal custody this week and will remain there.

He is facing multiple minimum mandatory charges of 15 years, with potential for life in prison.