Kellie Ann Lundon-Cormican, Crookston, changed her attorney Wednesday in Polk County District Court for the third time since the beginning of her case, in which she faces 10 felony charges involving sex with a minor and three misdemeanors.
The felony charges -- five counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and five counts of third degree criminal sexual conduct -- stem from incidents in August and November 2007, when Cormican, 39, then 38, allegedly had sexual relations with a 14-year-old boy. She entered a not-guilty plea in December.
At Wednesday's hearing, she requested a continuance of the omnibus hearing to allow her new and fourth attorney, Earl Gray, to review the case. Judge Michael Kraker granted the continuance and scheduled the hearing for 9 a.m. Nov. 7. Richard Sather temporarily substituted Wednesday for Gray.
Cormican also is charged with a driving citation and two contempt of court charges from January 2008, all misdemeanors.
Cormican served as a special education paraprofessional for Crookston Public Schools from 2004 to spring 2007. Superintendent Wayne Gilman said Cormican's duties had no connection to the boy. Her contract with the School District was not renewed for reasons unrelated to the charges. Cormican was released in December with the stipulations that she have no contact with the victim and no unsupervised contact with nonfamily members younger than 18.
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The third-degree charges each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. The first-degree charges each have a maximum penalty of 30 years in jail and a $40,000 fine.
In a taped December interview, Cormican told police she and the boy had sexual intercourse "a couple times" in her Crookston home, beginning in August. Cormican told police she thought the boy was 16. Minnesota state law says a mistake about the victim's age is not a defense, as re-iterated in court Wednesday by prosecuting attorney Gregory Widseth.
Cormican also told police that by 'sex' she meant full intercourse and that she also performed oral sex on the boy. When school started, she "backed off," she said in the interview.
The third-degree charges allege Cormican engaged in criminal sexual contact with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15 and that she was more than two years older than him. The first-degree charges allege that she had criminal sexual contact with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15, and that she was in a position of authority over him.
The charges originally were four counts of third degree sexual conduct, but were amended in court in July.
Gibson covers education. Reach her at (701) 787-6754; (800) 477-6572, ext. 754; or send e-mail to lgibson@gfherald.com .
