Former military member on trial for sexual abuse

(ABC 6 News) – A former military member is on trial for sexually abusing a young girl in Kasson.

43-year-old Michael Lee Cocuzzi testified in his own defense on Wednesday, near the end of his jury trial. Cocuzzi was a member of the National Guard, and is the 6th generation in his family to be in the military. In court he mentioned traveling often for work, but coming back to visit his family in Kasson.

According to court documents, Cocuzzi engaged in sexual acts with a 10-year-old girl at the Baymont Hotel in Kasson in 2020. The victim said the abuse happened on multiple occasions in multiple different locations.

In court Wednesday, Cocuzzi denied those allegations. He is charged with 3 counts of criminal sexual conduct in the 2nd degree. Thursday the court will hear closing statements from the defense and the state, and then the case will be handed over to the jury for deliberations.

Cocuzzi is also part of an active investigation in New York involving Richmond County’s Special Victims Unit.