Rugby day-care provider found guilty
By DAVE CALDWELL Staff Writer dcaldwell@minotdailynews.comRUGBY A Rugby day-care provider was found guilty Saturday on two of eight charges of child abuse or neglect filed against her.
Lori Ann Voeller, 48, showed little emotion as the verdict was read shortly before noon in the courtroom in the Pierce County Courthouse in Rugby. Although she was acquitted on six counts, with the two Class B felony convictions she could face as many as 10 years in prison on each charge.
Voeller had been accused of striking eight children between the ages of 4 months and 5 years while they were in her care.
Preceedings began Monday morning with jury selection, with the trial starting in earnest on Tuesday as witnesses took the stand. Voeller took the stand in her own defense Friday morning, after which one rebuttal witness was called.
Voeller was represented by Grand Forks attorney Alex Reichert, while the state's case was prosecuted by Jonathan Byers from the North Dakota Attorney General's office.
Attorneys for both sides gave their closing arguments after noon, then the jury was handed the case around 3 p.m. After deliberating until around 9 p.m., Northeast District Court Judge John McClintock sent the jury home for the night, reconvening around 9 a.m. Saturday. Around 11:30 a.m., the jury notified McClintock it had reached its verdict.
Following her conviction, Voeller has been ordered to be placed under home confinement while her presentence investigation is under way, to be followed by a sentencing hearing yet to be scheduled.
