A Powers Lake man made his initial appearance in North Central District Court in Minot on Friday in two separate cases in which he is charged with a total of 45 felony counts and six misdemeanors for sex offenses involving minors in Ward County.

Julian Raymond Monson, 18, Powers Lake, was charged following investigations by the Ward County Sheriff’s Department into a report made by the minor victim in the first case. Monson’s co-defendant in the first case, Rose Renee Wenger, 18, Sawyer, made her initial appearance on Thursday and is being held in the Ward County Jail on a $150,000 bond. Wenger is accused of picking up the minor victim from their home in the first case with Monson, after which he allegedly pressured them into smoking meth. Wenger allegedly recorded Monson engaging in sexual acts with the minor.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Ward County Sheriff’s Department detectives discovered the second victim following a probationary search of his cell phone during the first investigation. Monson and the second victim allegedly exchanged a series of sexually-related videos in January which continued into February.

The victim told investigators that on Feb. 19 Monson allegedly located the victim’s residence through their location on the messaging app they were using and asked to come over. The victim and a friend who was present hid in the bathroom when Monson entered the residence with another individual. The victim said Monson grabbed them and took them into their bedroom and began engaging in sexual acts, which he allegedly recorded on his cell phone without their knowledge.

No bond was listed for Monson at this time. Monson and Wenger are scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference on Wednesday, Aug. 14, before Judge Stacey Louser.