NEW ULM — A 19-year-old Mankato man was sentenced in Brown County District Court Tuesday to 48 months in the St. Cloud Correctional Facility after being found guilty of criminal sexual conduct.

Malachi H. Rodriguez was found guilty on felony third-degree and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, and gross misdemeanor fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct by a Brown County jury in May.

Malachi was sentenced to 48 months on the third-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction.

No sentence was pronounced for the fourth and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. Malachi was also fined $75 and ordered to pay restitution, open for 30 days.

“This is a difficult case to say the least,” said Judge Robert Docherty after the sentencing.

Charges stem from August 8, 2020, the night before a New Ulm wedding in which the victim said Rodriguez sexually assaulted her at the New Ulm Econo Lodge.

Assistant Brown County Attorney Andrea Lieser said victim impact statements read at the sentencing were “substantial and compelling.”

“I’m sorry for what I put you through,” Rodriguez said before he was sentenced. “I made incorrect assumptions. I wish I could take it all back. I hope one day, you can forgive me for what I’ve done.”

Mankato defense attorney Patrick Casey said Rodriguez volunteered for therapy and was recommended to re-enroll and get a psychological evaluation.

“There was no evidence force was used,” Casey said. “Malachi got behind in school but finished on time during the pandemic. He went to work at Cambria at 4 a.m. daily.

“He asked to see a therapist and agreed to do so on an occasional basis,” said Rodriguez’ step father Mathew Crowyle. “What he thought was consensual turned out not to be the case.”

A letter from a pastor at Two Rivers Vineyard Church in Mankato stated that Rodriguez was active in a church youth group and in the community.

“I expect him to have a fruitful life if we give him the chance,” read the letter.

“Malachi put others before himself. I worry about him being a victim in the criminal justice system,” said Dr. Mymique Baxter, principal and licensed administrator at Kato Public Charter School.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.