A Halbur man found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child was denied his motion for a new trial. According to Carroll County District Court records, 31-year-old John Mark Toyne was found guilty by a jury of one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child after allegedly engaging in sex acts with a juvenile female in the 200 block of N. Main Street in Halbur from Jan. 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2023. A motion for a new trial was filed on the grounds that the jury was exposed to information, such as cell phone images, the diary of the victim, etc., that should not have been known to the jury on the grounds of the prosecuting attorney committing misconduct, and grounds to support verdict is contrary to law or contrary to the weight of evidence. A district judge has denied Toyne’s request for a new trial, as he was given a fair trial and found guilty by a jury. Toyne’s sentencing hearing remains scheduled for Jan. 13 at the Carroll County Courthouse, where he faces a maximum sentence of up to 50 years in prison.
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