Svea man enters plea for molestation of 10-year-old girl

WILLMAR -- Gerald Raymond Ohman, 55, of Svea, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony charge of second-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct for molesting a 10-year-old girl. He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of contempt of court for violating an order for protection not to enter the apartment building where the girl was living.

As part of a plea agreement reached in Kandiyohi County District Court, two gross misdemeanor charges for fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct will be dismissed. Ohman will be sentenced Oct. 28.

The charges were filed after a woman reported in early April that her 10-year-old daughter had been molested by Ohman, a resident of the same apartment building as the family. The woman alleged that Ohman put his hand down her daughter's pants while staying at a relative's home in March.

The woman said she confronted Ohman about the allegations and that he got angry and pounded on the walls of the apartment.

When interviewed, the girl told investigators she went to Ohman's apartment to get eggs and that he put his hand in her pants once. She said she told her relative, who also confronted Ohman.

In an interview, Ohman denied putting his hand on the girl. He said she spilled crackers and tuna fish on herself and that he used his hand and a cloth to clean up the spill.

He said his hand may have accidentally gone between the girl's pants and underwear, but that was all that happened.