Man sentenced to 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting St. Cloud State University student
A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to over a decade in prison for sexually assaulting a woman at a central Minnesota college, according to court documents.
Dipak Phayal was sentenced to 12 years in prison with credit for approximately one year of time served. His prison sentence will be followed by 10 years of conditional release.
A jury found Phayal guilty of two counts each of first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct. His codefendant, 21-year-old Sujan Tamang, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting first-degree criminal sexual conduct last October and was sentenced to eight years in prison in March.
According to a criminal complaint, Phayal and Tamang forced a student into her dorm room at St. Cloud State University on Nov. 1, 2024, and then assaulted her.
After the victim reported the assault, a public safety officer identified Phayal and Tamang as suspects, the complaint states. They were seen in surveillance video hanging out in the dorm lobby when the victim returned to her dorm, then leaving and coming back, having switched clothing with each other.
According to the complaint, an Instagram account under the name "Dipak Phuyal" messaged her to check in on her condition hours after the alleged assault.
Sexual Assault Resources
- (SOS – Ramsey County)
- Sexual Violence Center (SVC – Hennepin County)
- Aurora Center (U of MN)
- 360 Communities (Dakota County)
- Hope Center (Rice County)
- Canvas Health (Washington County)
- Alexandra House (Anoka County)
General Sites for information related to sexual assault and resources throughout Minnesota:
General Sexual Assault Websites:
