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Published July 10, 2012, 07:57 AM

Man pleads guilty to molesting girls at wife’s day care

A 54-year-old Moorhead man accused of molesting two children at his wife’s home day care center here pleaded guilty Monday in a negotiated plea deal that calls for him to serve 13 years and four months in state prison.

MOORHEAD, Minn. — A 54-year-old Moorhead man accused of molesting two children at his wife’s home day care center here pleaded guilty Monday in a negotiated plea deal that calls for him to serve 13 years and four months in state prison.

Jon Ralph Pabody faced two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for molesting two girls, ages 3 and 7 at the time, at his wife’s home day care within the past three years.

He admitted to the sexual abuse in tearful testimony Monday in Clay County District Court.

One victim’s mother said she wanted to avoid a trial to spare her daughter the pain of testifying, saying it wasn’t worth it given that the plea agreement calls for only about a year less prison time — with good behavior — than the maximum suggested under state sentencing guidelines.

Pabody will be officially sentenced on Aug. 20.

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