MOORHEAD - Two separate jury trials - one July 24 and another Sept. 25 - are scheduled for a 53-year-old Moorhead man accused of molesting two children at his wife's home day care center.
Jon Ralph Pabody pleaded not guilty on Monday to the second charge filed against him in Clay County District Court. He entered a not guilty plea to the first charge on May 24.
Pabody faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly molesting two girls, ages 3 and 7 at the time, at his wife's home day care at 2709 14th St. S. within the past three years.
The day care and an offsite facility, ABC Infant Daycare, also operated by Pabody's wife, have closed.
In court Monday, Pabody's attorney, Kenneth Kludt, told Judge Galen Vaa "there's a reasonable chance" the case involving the 7-year-old will be resolved before it goes to trial.
ADVERTISEMENT
Asked outside the courtroom if that also applies to the other case, Kludt said there are many factors to consider in both cases, including the effects a trial would have on the alleged child victims and Pabody's own wife and children.
Pabody remains in the Clay County Jail with bail set at $100,000 cash or bond for each charge. He has been in custody since he turned himself in to police on March 12, the day before the charge involving the 3-year-old was filed.
He told Vaa on Monday that he had no objections to waiting until September for the second trial.
If convicted, Pabody faces up to 30 years in prison for each charge.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Mike Nowatzki at (701) 241-5528
