Timothy Tollefson pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment on charges he sexually molested four girls, ages 3 and 4, at Immanuel Christian Children’s Center in Grand Forks over the past two to three years.
Tollefson, 31, remains free on bond living with his parents in Manvel, N.D., on electric home monitoring.
Parents of at least one of the alleged victims also attended his arraignment in state district court in Grand Forks.
Tollefson worked at the center, which is attached to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1710 Cherry St., from 2009 until his arrest last fall.
Each of the four counts of gross sexual imposition carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years if he’s convicted.
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State District Judge Lawrence Jahnke granted a request from Tollefson’s attorney, Alex Reichert, that Tollefson be released from electronic home monitoring so he can more easily make medical and legal appointments. Tollefson doesn’t drive and his parents will accompany him at all times, Reichert said.
Tollefson is due back in court May 22 for a pretrial conference.
