MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) – Bond has been set at $50,000 cash for the 59-year-old registered sex offender accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Manitowoc on the Fourth of July.
Jeffrey Gove allegedly walked up behind the woman while she was walking in the 1100 block of South 9th Street around 9:30 pm Tuesday and put a knife against her stomach.
Gove reportedly directed the woman to a different location, assaulting her behind a business on South 10th Street. He allegedly touched her inappropriately with his mouth and fingers.
Gove told the victim it was a lesson to not walk alone at night.
Police say the incident was reported around 12:30 am Wednesday.
The victim was able to lead officers to the scene of the alleged crime.
While processing the scene, investigators say they were approached by a man, who was positively identified as Gove.
Officers say Gove provided a voluntary DNA sample and denied guilt during questioning, saying the woman forced herself on him.
Detective Andy Trilling says Gove provided inconsistencies in that interview.
“That led us to believe he was not telling the truth, which then a subsequent interview was conducted and by the course of the investigation through the day of July 5, we believed we had enough probably cause to arrest (Gove).”
Trilling notes “this is a very rare occasion where the two individuals, as far as we know, did not even know each other.”
She reportedly did identify a photo of Gove as being the man who assaulted her.
He was arrested on charges of First Degree Sexual Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. At last word, formal charges had not been filed.
Gove was convicted of Second Degree Sexual Assault of a Child in 1994 and was sentenced to four years in prison.
