Fort Totten, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – A Fort Totten teenager, Marquese Quincy Dubois, age 19, has waived his preliminary hearing and entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday, July 16, to three felony counts of gross sexual imposition involving a 13-year-old girl.
According to court documents, the charges stem from alleged incidents that occurred in January when Dubois was 18 years old. He is accused of engaging in sexual acts with a minor under the age of 15, which constitutes a Class A felony gross sexual imposition under North Dakota law.
Each Class A felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Case Background
The criminal information document, filed in May, outlines that the sexual acts allegedly occurred while Dubois was legally considered an adult and the victim was 13 years old. Although the law provides for a narrower sentencing window due to the defendant being under 22, the seriousness of the charges remains high.
Dubois is currently free on a $5,000 cash bond.
What’s Next?
The court has scheduled a status conference for 1 p.m. on October 15, during which a plea deal or trial date will be considered. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether a plea offer is on the table.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.