“Friendly” clown raped a mentally impaired woman in Princeton, Minnesota, police allege.
Robert J. Jensen, known as “Friendly the Clown” and “Bob the Balloon Twister,” has been charged with raping a 20-year-old woman, who suffers from mental difficulties, numerous times.
According to the Star Tribune , Jensen is currently being held in the Mille Lacs County jail and is scheduled to appear in court next week on two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim mentally impaired or helpless, two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim mentally impaired or helpless, third-degree criminal sexual conduct with force or coercion, and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with force or coercion.
Jensen has been portraying the clown character for nearly 20 years or so and has even offered to drive up to 60 miles from Princeton to put on a “fun-filled” show.
“‘Having fun daily!’ is not just a fancy slogan with Friendly the clown,” an ad, which has since been taken down from the internet, read. “As a professional clown, that is exactly what he intends to do at your event!”
The woman, who has not been identified, suffered a traumatic brain injury and began living with Jensen and his wife in December. Mille Lacs County Attorney Joe Walsh would not reveal the reason as to why the woman was specifically living with the Jensens.
The charges were brought about after the woman told a case worker with the county Community and Veterans Services agency that she had been repeatedly assaulted by Robert, aka “Friendly.” On February 1, the woman went to a Princeton hospital to undergo a sexual assault exam, where she told the nurse that Robert had come in her room a few days prior and forcibly fondled her. He then came back the next morning and raped her, the Princeton Union-Eagle reports.
She told an officer that Robert had told her “he was praying for a little girl like her to come around and mess around.” She also said he was normally “nice to her and gives her rides to her community service job and medical appointments.”
The complaint states that the woman had texted her relatives, telling them about the assaults, who then urged her to immediately tell someone what was happening. The woman told Jensen’s wife, who then confronted her husband. He has denied the accusations.
Jensen is currently being held on a $10,000 bail.
[Photo via Shutterstock]