MADISON, Wis. – Yesterday, Aidison Yang, 42 of Eagan, Minnesota, was found guilty by a jury of three counts of First Degree Sexual Assault by Use or Threat of Use of a Dangerous Weapon, in connection with a 2005 sexual assault on a Madison bike path. The trial was presided over by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Berz.

“Justice is finally being served for the violent crimes the defendant committed in 2005,” said Attorney General Kaul. “I’m grateful to the many people who have worked together to hold the defendant accountable.”

“After all these years we are finally able to hold Aidison Yang accountable for this horrible crime,” said Madison Police Detective Kelly Dougherty. “It has been incredibly inspiring to work with the Survivor during the investigative and judicial process, as well as the investigative and prosecutorial team.”

The evidence presented at trial established that Mr. Yang sexually assaulted the victim after threatening her with a knife on a bike path on Madison’s East Side in 2005. A sexual assault nurse examination was conducted after the sexual assault. The defendant’s identity was established through DNA from the victim’s sexual assault kit.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Noel Lawrence and Stephanie Hilton, assisted by paralegal Ashley Adrian of the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Legal Services Criminal Litigation Unit. Victim services were provided by Shellie Gillette of the Dane County District Attorney’s Office.

The conviction was the result of a joint effort by the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative team at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Dane County District Attorney’s Office, the Madison Police Department, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, and the RCC Sexual Assault Resource Center (formerly the Rape Crisis Center).

A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date.