After a Burnsville man was convicted of criminal sexual conduct and spent months in a Minnesota prison, a jury determined that the young man should be acquitted of the original charges against him. Careful investigation led to the discovery of evidence that ultimately proved the man's innocence.

The young man in question was accused of having a sexual relationship with his 15-year-old girlfriend when he was allegedly 19 years old. Under Minnesota law, it is a felony to have consensual sex with a minor who is more than 24 months younger. After police arrested him, however, the young man claimed he was only 17 years old.

His U.S. birth certificate confirmed that the young man was 19 years old at the time of the alleged crime, so the police arrested him and he was charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

The man had another birth certificate, though. According to reports, the young man is an immigrant from Sierra Leone. He was adopted when he was 11 years old, according to his Sierra Leone birth certificate. However, after a tumultuous adjustment period in school, the man - then a young boy - lied and told his adopted parents he was two years older than they thought. He did this so that he could escape the bullying at his school and skip ahead to high school. Believing him, his parents had his U.S. birth certificate changed so that it said he was two years older.

Because age can frequently be argued when a person is an immigrant between the ages of 17 and 20, it was essential for the young man to prove his age at the time of the relationship with his girlfriend. After some trouble, he was able to acquire an authenticated birth certificate from Sierra Leone which proved his age to be two years younger than what is stated on his U.S. birth certificate.

It was only after careful investigation into the timeline of the relationship and diligent work to acquire the man's accurate birth certificate that he was able to prove that he was not guilty of the charges against him.

However, even though he was found not guilty of the charges, the young man has said he still feels labeled as a result of the allegations. Sadly, this is not uncommon. The mere accusation that a sexual crime has occurred is sometimes enough to jeopardize a person's family, career and reputation. With help, however, it may be possible to minimize the damage that can be caused by this type of charge.

Source: Pioneer Press, "Burnsville man says jury gave him 'second chance' in sex case that hinged on his age," Maricella Miranda, Jan. 17, 2012