An East Grand Forks man is accused of sexually abusing a girl when she was 12 and 13 years old.
James Albert Smith, 33, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of criminal sexual conduct.
Court documents say the abuse occurred from May to October. The victim, who is now 13, reported the abuse to East Grand Forks police Oct. 10, the documents say.
Smith is also accused of threatening to kill the girl if she alerted authorities. He was consequently charged with first-degree witness tampering and making terroristic threats. He has pleaded not guilty to both of those charges.
Smith made his first court appearance Friday. He does not have a future court date set.
ADVERTISEMENT
He is being held at the Crookston jail in lieu of $20,000.
