A St. Paul man admitted Monday to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl last year in Maplewood, then soliciting her 14-year-old friend for sex with a promise of money.

Xang Vang (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)

Xang Vang, 38, pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to two charges of an amended criminal complaint filed Monday: first-degree criminal sexual conduct and engaging in electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child.

As part of a plea agreement, Vang will receive a stayed prison sentence, with up to 30 years of supervised probation, and an executed jail sentence of up to a year.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 28.

Vang’s attorney, Elizabeth Duel, told Judge Adam Yang in court Monday that the prosecution has agreed not to charge Vang in connection with alleged criminal sexual conduct involving a second 13-year-old girl, identified in the amended complaint as Victim A.

Also, a third charge against Vang — solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct — will be dismissed at sentencing.

Vang has been free from custody on a $250,000 bond since April 21, 2023, the same day the original charges were filed.

Arrested at a park

According to the amended complaint, Maplewood police received a tip on April 18, 2023, about a man who was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, identified as Victim B, through email and Snapchat and trying to solicit sex from her. He was identified as Vang.

Police received a report that Vang previously had sexually assaulted a 13-year-old behind a middle school after also communicating with her through email and Snapchat.

The girl, identified as Victim C, was interviewed at the Midwest Children’s Resource Center and disclosed the assault happened between Dec. 1, 2022, and Jan. 31, 2023. She said Vang gave her marijuana edibles after the assault.

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Vang then contacted the girl and asked her to help him recruit Victim B so he could pay her for sex as well. Police reviewed text messages between the two girls, discussing what Vang was looking for, how much money he would pay for sex acts and where it would take place.

Police used Victim B’s cellphone to pose as her and continue a conversation with Vang. He reached out to her on April 19, 2023, asking how much money she wanted in exchange for sex acts. He agreed to meet her outside a middle school.

Police set up surveillance and apprehension teams, then directed Vang to an area near Wakefield Park in Maplewood. Vang circled the area several times in his SUV before pulling into the spot requested by police. He had $200 cash on him.