Plea agreement by North Dakota man in Clear Lake sexual abuse case

CLEAR LAKE — A North Dakota man accused in a Clear Lake sexual abuse case has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.

31-year-old Torrey Fields of Grand Forks was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony, after being accused of committing sexual abuse against a victim’s will at a home in Clear Lake on May 11th of 2022.

A criminal complaint says after the sex act was committed, Fields threatened to harm the victim and family members if the assault was reported to law enforcement.

Fields was due in court for a pretrial conference on Tuesday, but he entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors earlier this month, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of assault causing bodily injury, a serious misdemeanor. According to the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a deferred judgment and state that the charge was not sexually motivated, one year probation, and that Fields pay a $430 civil penalty.

Fields is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7th.