Trial is slated to begin Wednesday in Clay County District Court for a Moorhead man accused of sexually assaulting seven girls when they were between the ages of 5 and 12.
Paul Frederick Lehr, 1411 S. 22nd Ave., is facing nine counts of criminal sexual conduct, three first-degree charges alleging penetration took place and six second-degree charges that allege sexual contact without penetration.
Today's trial is for two first-degree charges filed April 21 after a 17-year-old girl came forward and accused Lehr, 54, of sexually molesting her twice in 1997, when she was 8.
The remaining seven charges were filed less than three weeks later after six other girls came forward, many of whom were at Lehr's home because of their friendship with his daughter.
During a court appearance last month, Lehr's attorney, Joe Parise, said the two sides were "not close enough" to a plea agreement to settle the first case before it went to trial.
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Judge Michael Kirk has ruled that one of the other girls accusing Lehr may testify for the state during his first trial, but he has not yet ruled on whether he'll limit such testimony to just one other victim.
Assistant Clay County Attorney Pam Harris said the length of the trial will be determined by the number of victims allowed to testify.
Parise has declined to comment on the pending trial.
The Forum typically does not identify victims of sexual assault.
The charges involved in Wednesday's trial were filed after a 17-year-old girl wrote on a school course evaluation for a self-defense class that she had been abused.
According to the criminal complaint:
The first incident occurred when the girl, who was 8 at the time, was at Lehr's house in September 1997.
Lehr told his daughter to go do some cleaning and took the other girl into his bedroom and fondled her, blocking the door when she tried to leave. He then forced her to fondle him.
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A second incident a couple months later took place almost identically to the first.
According to criminal complaints for the additional charges Lehr faces:
- A 15-year-old girl told investigators when she was 12 Lehr fondled her while she was sleeping on the couch at his house. He faces a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for that incident.
- A girl who reported the incident when she was 14 said in 2002 Lehr came into a bedroom she was sleeping in and fondled her. She was in fifth grade at the time. A year later he fondled her while he put sunscreen on her.
Lehr faces first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges for the incidents.
- A girl with no age given said when she was between 5 and 8 years old Lehr inappropriately touched her when rubbing lotion on her. He faces a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for that incident.
- A 14-year-old girl reported that when she was 9, she was sleeping on Lehr's couch and awoke to find him standing over her. He then began fondling her, which has led to a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.
- A 16-year-old girl said when she was between 11 and 12 years old she was sleeping in Lehr's living room when he entered the room and fondled her. He faces a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for that incident.
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- A 17-year-old girl reported that when she was 5 years old, Lehr made her bathe him, which led to a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Brittany Lawonn at (701) 241-5541
