He had raped her and choked her and was sexually assaulting her again when, through tears, she told him to ask for God’s forgiveness for what he was doing. Suddenly, he got to his knees and began to pray and apologized to her, according to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County District Court.

A year later, Dashawn Earl McClenton, 24, of St. Paul, has been charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of domestic assault.

McClenton and an ex-girlfriend had broken up years earlier but continued a friendly relationship, according to the complaint.

On Nov. 6, 2016, they both spent the night at the St. Paul house of a relative of the ex-girlfriend. The woman was going to grab her clothes after a shower when McClenton picked her up, put her on the couch and began sexually assaulting her, according to the complaint.

She pushed him away, told him to stop and finished getting dressed before returning and telling him what he had just done was rape, legal documents said.

That’s when McClenton grew “enraged,” yanked her by her hair onto the couch, and sexually assaulted her again. He bit her when she tried to fight him and choked her when she screamed for help, the complaint said.

The woman continued to fight while he took her into the bedroom, according to the complaint. McClenton was continuing to sexually assault her when she brought up God, the complaint said.

She told authorities that his demeanor changed at that point and he began praying on his knees, giving her time to lock herself in the bathroom and call a relative, according to the complaint. Then he left.

McClenton’s previous criminal history includes theft, driving without a valid license and speeding. The woman told authorities he was not physically abusive toward her when they were dating.

His bail was posted at $60,000 and his first appearance has not yet been set. No attorney was listed for him. McClenton could not be reached for comment Friday.