North Branch man sentenced in cold case sexual attacks in Minnesota

NORTH BRANCH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A serial attacker who authorities said preyed on women for years in Minnesota was finally sentenced on Monday.

Cold case sentence

What we know:

Donald Edmond Warner, 46, was sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to a count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of first-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct in three cases dating back to 2010.

The Chisago County Attorney's Office, which prosecuted the disturbing case, said Warner targeted young women out walking in their communities at night.

"In each case, he wrestled the victims to the ground and sexually assaulted the women," prosecutors say.

Timeline:

Suspect DNA was collected from each incident, authorities said, but not linked to a known perpetrator until 2023, when samples were tested against a DNA database. That allowed authorities to identify Warner as the suspect in the case.

Dig deeper:

Warner was also sentenced to a year behind bars, consecutive to the sexual assault cases, for an escape from jail in April 2025. Warner was found by deputies hiding in a garbage can shortly after running from a work detail.