Bemidji basketball player charged with criminal sexual conduct after meeting minor on Tinder: Charges

BELTRAMI COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Bemidji State University basketball player has been charged with allegedly having sex with a minor on multiple occasions.

Colin Thomas Rudolph Schaefer, 22, of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was charged earlier this month with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct for his alleged involvement in meetups with a 15-year-old girl. 

According to charges filed by Beltrami County prosecutors, on or around Oct. 7, 2023, the 15-year-old provided a recorded statement to law enforcement as part of a child sexual abuse investigation.

She claimed to have initially met Schaefer using Snapchat and Tinder, which then led to having sex in his car. It was allegedly the second time they had engaged in sexual relations, according to charges.

In a statement provided to authorities on Dec. 11, 2023, Schaefer allegedly admitted to meeting the girl on social media platforms and admitted to having intercourse twice but said that age was never discussed, charges state.

According to court documents, the state has filed a notice of intent to seek an aggravated sentence if convicted.

Schaefer is scheduled for a court appearance on Jan. 22, 2024.