Buck Zumhofe pleads not guilty in sex case

from wctrib.com:

WILLMAR — Eugene Otto Zumhofe, 62, of Cyrus, pleaded not guilty this morning to 12 felony counts of criminal sexual conduct for having sexual contact with a young woman approximately 1,800 times between 1999 and 2011.

Zumhofe entered the plea before District Judge David L. Mennis in Kandiyohi County District Court. Mennis set jury trial dates for Sept. 23 to 27 in the case, and at the request of Zumhofe’s attorney, lowered Zumhofe’s conditional bail to $50,000.

Attorney Robert Schaps told Mennis that it was outside of Zumhofe’s ability to raise the $10,000 required for a bond on $100,000 bail. Zumhofe has been in the Kandiyohi County Jail on $500,000 unconditional bail and $100,000 conditional bail since May 27.

“$100,000 is excessive,” Schaps said, noting that Zumhofe has family and a significant other in the region, can abide by the conditions of release and isn’t going to go anywhere if he is released on bail.

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