Repeat Sex Offender Convicted on Sexual Assault of Autistic Child in Woodbury

In July of 2024 Woodbury police investigated an allegation of a sexual assault on a 16 year old child. The suspect was Lawson Tolentine Waples Ward, DOB 1/3/1980, of St. Paul. 

Police arrived to the extended stay in Woodbury to where the mother of the child explained her autistic child with a mental capacity of a six or seven year old was sexually assaulted by Ward. In the police report she stated she had been in a relationship for ten years with him

and had recently broke up. Ward would still hang out with the child because he was seen as a father figure to the child. The day of the incident the child reported to police that Ward made him do "weird things" and Ward "showed his dick" and had the child touch it according to the police report. The victim also said that Ward kissed on the lips and their chest and gave alcohol to drink. Also in the police report, it said Ward was a convicted sex offender in New Jersey. 

Police wrote it up as sexual assault on a victim mentally impaired and giving alcohol to a minor. In 2026 Ward was convicted of Criminal sexual conduct 3rd and 4rth degree. His sentence was 15 years in prison, life registration as a sex offender, and $140 fine, plus additional requirements. 

If you hope to see any law change, continue to contact law makers.

Find your legislator here: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/districtfinder

See our 8 bill ideas to ask legislators to write

Tell legislators to also make the sex offender list public like 47 other states. All but MN, DC, and Maine have public lists. Maine only has 2,700 sex offenders in their state though. Compared to over 20,000 in MN. 26 states register sex offenders for life, MN lists most sex offenders to 10 years max.

*In no way do we wish harm to the convicted sex offenders outside the judgement of the law. Posting each criminal's public data anyone can get allows the public to decide from the evidence if they appreciate knowing such data. Such as what these sex offender's last known address is. No representation is made that the individuals listed here are currently on the state's offenders registry. All names presented here were gathered at a past date. Some persons listed might no longer be registered offenders and others might have been added. Some addresses or other data might no longer be current. Owners of Washington County Watchdog assume no responsibility (and expressly disclaim responsibility) for updating this site to keep information current or to ensure the accuracy or completeness of any posted information. All data was only accurate at the time of posting per Government sources provided. Accordingly, you should confirm the accuracy and completeness of all posted information before making any decision related to any data presented on this site. The information on this web site is made available solely to protect the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability. Message us if you can verify us of an address or change in data.  Washington County Watchdog is not responsible for the accuracy of the content shared, refer to our linked government sources.     

DEFENDANT: Lawson Tolentine Waples Ward 

DOB: 1/3/1980 

CITY/RESIDENCE: Saint Paul, MN 

AGENCY: Woodbury Police Department 

JUDGE: Juanita C. Freeman 

COURT NUMBER: 82-CR-24-2660 

CONVICTION: Count 1: Criminal Sexual Conduct 3rd Degree. Count 2: Criminal Sexual Conduct 4th Degree 

SENTENCE: Count 1: Commit to Commissioner of Corrections for 180 months with 243 days credited; $140 fine with surcharge and fees payable by 06/24/2027; predatory offender registration required, life; supply DNA sample; do not ship/transport/possess or receive firearm or ammo. Count 2: No sentence pronounced.

Woodbury, Level 3 Rapist Moves 3 Blocks Away from School

 A level 3 sex offender named Antonio Edward Gonsor, DOB 12/12/1979 is moving to the street Aberdeen Curve, Woodbury, MN 55125. Roughly 320 convicted predatory offenders live in Washington County. He now lives less than three blocks from Woodbury High School and Ojibway park. Democrats blocked a bill proposing to limit how close sex offenders could live to a school in 2023. Democrats said if we limit the distance they can live from schools that "there would be no where for them to live." 

Gonsor was convicted in Ramsey County in 2012 for the rape of a female with force. The

victim lived in the same complex as him. Only 300 or so, out of the over 20,000 convicted sex offenders in MN are categorized the worst level 3. So the crime maybe had something extremely bad about it. It's unfortunate one rape is categorized more bad than another in the criminal justice system.

This story is exactly why the rape laws need to be stronger with better sentencing guidelines for one. The blame can be placed on the all democrat controlled legislature and Governor.  Our own Ethan Cha of Woodbury says: 

Democrat Ethan Cha Responds Saying Weak Child Rape Laws Are Fine

See some of the many cases in the last several years of those convicted of child sex crimes with weak sentences and plea deals:

Homicidal Rapist in Forest Lake Found With Child Porn Who Self Recorded Rape Now Convicted, Only 4 years  

Only 30 Days in Jail and Probation for Child Molester Who Had Sex with Lake Elmo Child 

Only a Year in Jail for Man who Gang Raped 14 Year Old Child in Woodbury

Man Who Repeatedly Raped a Child in Oakdale, Raped another Child While on Probation and Will be Out in 2 Years 

No Mandated Jail time for Convicted St Paul Park Man who Sexually Assaulted a Child  

Man Who Gang Raped Woodbury Child Only Gets 5 years Probation and 10 Months Prison 

Only 3.5 Years for Man Who Held Down & Raped Bayport Child While Taunting Her 

Just One Year in Jail for Oakdale Man Accused of Raping Under 14 Year Old

In Minnesota, left wing law makers and prosecutors believe child rapists can be "rehabilitated," do not need to be monitored, and can become good members of society. The evidence is the fact only several hundred of the over 20,000 convicted rapists in Minnesota are confined in prison. Most only do a couple years and then are released without further monitoring. More information here:

Watchdog Review of Each of the Fifty States Sex Offender Laws Finds Minnesota Ranked the Most Unsafe  

If you hope to see any law change, continue to contact law makers.

Find your legislator here: https://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/districtfinder

See our 8 bill ideas to ask legislators to write

Tell legislators to also make the sex offender list public like 47 other states. All but MN, DC, and Maine have public lists. Maine only has 2,700 sex offenders in their state though. Compared to over 20,000 in MN. 26 states register sex offenders for life, MN lists most sex offenders to 10 years max.

*In no way do we wish harm to the convicted sex offenders outside the judgement of the law. Posting each criminal's public data anyone can get allows the public to decide from the evidence if they appreciate knowing such data. Such as what these sex offender's last known address is. No representation is made that the individuals listed here are currently on the state's offenders registry. All names presented here were gathered at a past date. Some persons listed might no longer be registered offenders and others might have been added. Some addresses or other data might no longer be current. Owners of Washington County Watchdog assume no responsibility (and expressly disclaim responsibility) for updating this site to keep information current or to ensure the accuracy or completeness of any posted information. All data was only accurate at the time of posting per Government sources provided. Accordingly, you should confirm the accuracy and completeness of all posted information before making any decision related to any data presented on this site. The information on this web site is made available solely to protect the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a crime or to harass an offender or his or her family is subject to criminal prosecution and civil liability. Message us if you can verify us of an address or change in data.  Washington County Watchdog is not responsible for the accuracy of the content shared, refer to our linked government sources.