Mpls. Man Charged With Drugging, Sexually Abusing Girl

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis man faces multiple criminal sexual conduct charges after allegedly drugging and molesting a 10-year-old girl during a sleepover.

According to the criminal complaint, 39-year-old Ezra David Taylor hosted a sleepover for his daughter and two of her friends at his residence on the 3500 block of Colfax Avenue South on Aug. 2.

The next day, the parents of one of the girls contacted police to report criminal sexual conduct against their daughter.

The victim told a forensic investigator that while at her friend's house, she drank soda pop and ate popcorn while watching a movie. She started to feel sick and dizzy, and vomited twice during the night.

She says Taylor carried her from an upstairs room to the basement once her friends were sleeping. The victim says Taylor was touching her buttocks as he carried her, and she told him she was "really scared."

Once in the basement, the victim says Taylor told her to put on a pair of thong underwear.

Police met with Taylor on Aug. 8, when he confessed to planning the sexual assault. He told investigators that he crushed up Ambien pills and mixed them into soda pop.

He also admitted to making the victim undress before photographing her and sexually molesting her.

Taylor is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13, as well as two counts of the second-degree version of the same crime.

If convicted, Taylor could face up to 80 years in prison.