MINTO, N.D. - A Minto man pleaded guilty Tuesday, Jan. 22, to stealing almost $100,000 from a former employee. He also faces unrelated charges alleging he continuously raped a child.
Nathan Timothy Tebay, 40, pleaded guilty to a charge that he stole about $55,000 worth of items from his workplace. He entered an Alford plea for felony charges alleging he stole $43,000 worth of items from his workplace. The entry is a guilty plea that means Tebay is maintaining his innocence but acknowledges there is enough evidence to prove his guilt.
Court documents said he was in possession of four large pieces of equipment, including an air compressor, a pump, a trench roller compactor and a light tower, which were worth a total of $98,000. All of the items were previously reported stolen and two were taken from companies where Tebay worked, the complaints said. Tebay told officers he had purchased two of the stolen items.
He is awaiting sentencing.
Tebay also faces charges of continued sexual assault of a child. An affidavit for his October arrest said a girl told investigators Tebay continuously raped her for six years, with the assaults beginning when she was 12. He allegedly raped her weekly, but the assaults then progressed to almost daily.
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The affidavit said the girl tried to fight Tebay off but learned he would leave her alone if she gave in. A court document said Tebay sent illicit messages to the girl and would demand she "talk dirty to him or show him things on her body."
Tebay pleaded not guilty to the charges and a jury trial is scheduled for March. If convicted, he could spend a minimum of 20 years in prison or be sentenced to a maximum of life behind bars.
He pleaded guilty in November to a misdemeanor charge for violating a no-contact order. Tebay asked his mother during a phone call to communicate with the girl, a criminal complaint said.
