Bryan Joel Hunter, 23, Minot, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges that he forcibly raped an intoxicated 17-year-old girl whom he first encountered in June when he was working as a security guard for Trinity Health, when the purported victim had been hospitalized for mental health concerns.

Hunter is charged in district court in Minot with Class AA felony gross sexual imposition, Class C felony corruption of a minor, and Class A misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the testimony of MInot Police Department Investigator Mikali Talbott, Hunter had been assigned to guard the girl when she was being transferred. He talked with the girl and asked her to add him as a friend on Instagram. Sometime later, he contacted her on Instagram, asked how she was doing and told her he could get her alcohol. The girl went to his residence, where he supplied her with alcohol and she became heavily intoxicated. The girl told police that he later carried her into a bedroom, removed her clothing and held her down when she tried to push him away and told him no. The girl later reported the incident to police.

Under questioning by defense attorney Kyle Craig, Talbott said she had not been able to recover the Instagram messages exchanged between Hunter and the girl.

Craig argued that the state had not proved there was enough evidence to move forward with the forcible rape charge. Judge Todd Cresap said the prosecution had met its burden of proof and found probable cause for the charges. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Jan. 26, 2022 before Cresap.

Hunter could face a sentence of up to life in prison without parole and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison if he is convicted or pleads guilty to the most serious offense. He would also be required to serve about 85 percent of the sentence on the most serious charge.

Hunter sought permission to leave the state to live with his parents, who posted his $50,000 bond. The prosecution had no objections to Hunter leaving the state pending the next court hearing.