Deen Wang

NEW ULM — A 39-year-old man from Zhejiang, China faces felony 2nd-degree criminal sexual conduct and gross misdemeanor 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct charges for allegedly touching children inappropriately at a New Ulm hotel swimming pool Saturday.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police were dispatched at 10:09 p.m. Saturday to a New Ulm hotel for a report of a man who had been touching children inappropriately. A victim under age 10 told police he was staying at the hotel with a family member and was at the pool when he was approached by an Asian man who asked him to swim.

The boy said he did not want to swim, just wanted to leave and Wang grabbed and squeezed his pectoral area, then touched his groin area and slapped his butt. The boy said he asked the man if he could leave and the man said “no,” then hugged the boy.

Police talked to a witness who said he was in a hot tub when he saw Wang talking to the boy, then touch his groin.

Two other witnesses, both age 13, said they saw Wang in a hotel hallway following them and their family. One of them said she saw Wang touching and hugging children near the pool.

A fourth witness told police she saw Wang grab a young boy underwater. another said Wang was talking to one of the children, then grabbed him and tried to help him swim.

Hotel staff said Wang checked into the hotel at 4 p.m. that day.

Police and hotel staff knocked on Wang’s hotel door and learned there was a language barrier. Wang produced a Chinese passport with identifying information from Zehjiang, China. Police tried to talk to Wang through a phone app. Wang said he was in the United States with his son for travel. Police later contacted a language service who send a translator to the hotel.

Wang told police his son was with his friend but was not able to give them the name of his friend. Wang said he was trying to show children the proper way to swim.

Wang’s initial Brown County District Court appearance is 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.