SE Minnesota News

There was no change in the number of registered sex offenders living in Dodge County in August compared to the previous month, according to the Minnesota Public Registrant Search.

As of August, three sex offenders were living in the county.

The Registry shows none of these sex offenders are sexual predators.

In Minnesota, people convicted of sex-related crimes are required to register as predatory offenders. The registration period usually lasts 10 years from sentencing, release, or the end of supervision, but in serious cases, such as repeat offenses or first-degree criminal sexual conduct, it can extend to lifetime registration.

Minnesota spends over $100 million annually on its Sex Offense Civil Commitment (SOCC) program, designed to prevent sex offender recidivism, according to a study by the Sex Offense Litigation and Policy Resource Center.

As of August 2024, there were 18,877 registered sex offenders living in Minnesota. This translates to roughly 331 offenders per 100,000 residents.

Frequently updated information about sex offenders in Minnesota can be found online here.

Offender	Crime	Crime description
James Peter Zylstra	Criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree	James Zylstra has a history of sexual conduct and contact with an unknown female child and known female adult. Conduct included exposure. Contact included sexual touching. Zylstra took advantage of adult female's developmental disability to gain compliance.
Joshua Lee Novak	Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree	Joshua Novak has a history of engaging in sexual contact with unknown female teenagers. Contacts included penetration. Novak gained access to victims at his place of employment.
Jace Steven Matthees	Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, solicitation of children to engage in sexual conduct, communication of sexually explicit materials to childre	Jace Matthees engaged in sexual contact with a known adult female and held her against her will. Contact included penetration. Matthees used physical force and bound her to gain compliance. Matthees gained access by meeting her online. On wo other separate occasions, Matthees engaged in sexual conduct with an undercover officer posing as a female teenager online. Conduct included engaging in sexually explicit conversations, solicitation, and arranging to meet in person.