OAKES, N.D. (KVLY) – 50-year-old Hans Gruner has pleaded not guilty to two Felony charges against him, that involve having sex with a minor.

According to court records, dating back to May of 2021, Dickey County Human Services contacted the Oakes Police Department regarding the potential abuse of a 17-year-old girl, who told a nurse practitioner about it at a clinic in Ellendale, ND. The girl said she had an ongoing sexual relationship with her boss, Hans Gruner of Oakes, ND.

Through further investigation, the girl told officers that she had been living at Gruner’s home in Oakes because he was able to take her to and from work. The girl also told officers that Gruner would ask to see her breasts while at work and would make other sexual comments towards her. The girl said the comments soon escalated to Gruner asking for sex, and that she estimated it happening about seven times. The girl told police officers she was scared of having to move back into her parent’s home. After this interview, the girl was taken into protective custody.

Gruner pleaded not guilty to one Felony charge of Sexual imposition, another Felony charge of Corruption of a minor and one Misdemeanor charge of contributing to the deprivation or delinquency of a minor stemming from incidents in March of 2021. The Dickey County State’s Attorney charged Gruner on September, 16th of 2021. He entered a not guilty plea on the misdemeanor charge on October, 12th of 2021 and not guilty pleas on the two Felony charges on January, 20th of 2022. A Felony Dispositional Conference was held in the Dickey County Courthouse on March, 15th of 2022.