A former fire chief in northeast North Dakota will avoid jail time in a child abuse case, but he still faces multiple drug charges.
Dalyn James Vollrath, 36, of St. Thomas, N.D., pleaded guilty Friday in Grand Forks District Court to Class C felony child neglect or abuse. The charge initially was a Class B felony that carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, but a plea deal downgraded the charge. Grand Forks Judge John Thelen gave Vollrath a deferred sentence of 36 months.
The case stems from a July 16, 2016, incident in St. Thomas, where Vollrath was accused of hitting a 5-year-old child and throwing him to the ground, according to court documents. The child suffered multiple injuries, including bite marks, bruising and scratch marks on his face, cuts to his head and red marks on his throat, documents said.
Vollrath initially was charged in Pembina County, but Judge Laurie Fontaine recused herself, so Thelen took over and the hearings moved to Grand Forks County.
Vollrath had been the city's fire chief until he resigned several months ago, he told the Herald. Tom Kennelly is now the city's fire chief.
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Vollrath declined to comment on the case.
When asked by Thelen if he had anything to say before sentencing, Vollrath said he accepted the guilty plea and was ready to move on.
The former fire chief also has two active drug cases. He was arrested July 31 in Grafton, N.D., on misdemeanor charges of possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, as well as one misdemeanor count of disobedience of a judicial order.
Similar charges were filed in Pembina County. Police say he was in St. Thomas on July 31 when he was in illegally in possession of a firearm and marijuana. He faces misdemeanor charges of disobedience of a judicial order, as well as unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana, according to charges filed Wednesday in Pembina County District Court.
St. Thomas is about 60 miles northwest of Grand Forks.
