Second court appearance for Grand Portage man

A public defender was appointed and two criminal cases were continued on Wednesday, Sept. 19 for a 36-year-old Grand Portage man.

Joel Ray Allard faces two counts of felony criminal sexual predatory conduct, two counts of felony criminal sexual conduct, two counts of felony false imprisonment and two counts of gross misdemeanor criminal sexual conduct. He is also charged with one count of furnishing alcohol to a person under 21. One case involves an 11-year-old girl and the other involves a nine-year-old girl.

He made his first appearance in Cook County District Court before Judge Michael Cuzzo on Monday, Sept. 17. The judge set bail at $100,000, or $50,000 per case, which he continued during Wednesday’s hearing.

During the latest hearing, public defender John Lind was appointed to represent Allard. Lind indicated he and Allard had not been able to meet prior to court so the Rule 8 was not held on Wednesday. Lind told the court he needs to receive the discovery evidence from the county attorney’s office to prepare for the Rule 8. A Rule 8 hearing is a second appearance in felony and gross misdemeanor cases.

Assistant County Attorney Molly Hicken told the court that her office has yet to transcribe the dozen interviews that have been done so far. She said there are “mass quantities of computer equipment” that are undergoing analysis by two agencies. She said that analysis could take two to three months.

In setting the Oct. 9 date for the Rule 8 hearing, Judge Cuzzo asked Hicken to provide a report then on a time-line for when the discovery evidence would be available.

Allard will be held in the Aitkin County Jail awaiting the Oct. 9 hearing.