Editor’s note: This article may contain disturbing content not suitable for children and/or those who are survivors of sexual or domestic violence.

UPDATED Aug. 30, 2023:

Felony first degree sexual assault/aided by others (as party to a crime), felony kidnapping/use deceit to induce (as party to a crime), felony false imprisonment (as party to a crime), felony strangulation and suffocation and battery (as party to a crime) charges against Brendon J. Larson, 27, River Falls, were dismissed Aug. 24 without prejudice in Pierce County Circuit Court.

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Two River Falls men are facing felony charges, prison time and being placed on the lifetime sex ouender registry after an hours-long violent attack and sexual assault.

Lonnie W. Pechuman, 29, Prescott, was ordered to pay $2,000 cash bail May 4 on felony first degree sexual assault/aided by others (lifetime supervision of serious sex ouenders, as party to a crime), felony kidnapping/ use of deceit to induce (as party to a crime), felony false imprisonment (as party to a crime) and two felony bail jumping charges. He remains in custody in Pierce County Jail.

Brendon J. Larson, 25, River Falls, was ordered to pay $500 cash bail May 2 on felony first degree sexual assault/aided by others (lifetime supervision of serious sex ouenders, as party to a crime), felony kidnapping/ use of deceit to induce (as party to a crime), felony false imprisonment (as party to a crime), felony strangulation and suuocation and battery (as party to a crime) charges. He posted bail and was released from jail May 6.

If convicted, both men are facing up to 60 years in prison and lifetime supervision of sex ouenders, and/or up to $100,000 in fines. According to the complaint: The two men picked the woman up at a New Richmond residence around 8 or 9 p.m. April 21 and drove her to a River Falls residence to hang out, where she drank two beers and one shot of unknown liquor. She said the men did not consume the liquor. While watching a movie, Larson and the woman were play wrestling, but it turned violent after about 10 minutes.

Over the next six hours, the men threw the woman around the room, held her down on the bed, stripped all of her clothes ou, took her cell phone away from her and raped her. She said she was slapped and punched in the face and vaginal area. She estimated she tried to flee at least 50 times, but was continuously thrown back onto the bed. She said she didn’t scream because she was afraid the attack would get worse, and that both men laughed throughout. She eventually blacked out and believes she was drugged after hearing comments the men made about “slipping her something.”

When she awoke at 9 a.m., Pechuman was assaulting her and she passed out again. When she next woke up a short time later, Larson grabbed a clothes hanger and repeatedly hit her with it as she tried to get her clothes on. He then used the hanger to choke her and she almost passed out again, but Pechuman stopped Larson before that happened. They took the woman back to the New Richmond residence, after which she reported to the hospital for an examination and help.

Pechuman has a preliminary hearing scheduled in Pierce County Circuit Court at 11 a.m. June 7. Larson is set to appear at 2 p.m. June 20 in court for a status conference.

If you have been sexually assaulted, you can call St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) at a 24-hour confidential and free help line at 715-425-6443. They are located at 1343 N. Main St., River Falls.

If you are a survivor of sexual or domestic violence, you can also seek informa- tion and help confidentially at Turningpoint for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence via a 24/7 text hotline at 715-821-8626 or a 24-hour crisis hotline at 800-345-5104.

Lonnie W. Pechuman