A rural Bayard man accused of having sexual relations with a young girl and taking sexually explicit pictures of the girl in activity dating back to 2004 entered no contest pleas to multiple counts Monday in Morrill County District Court. 36 year old Patrick Harsin had been charged with 58 felony counts. but entered no contest pleas to eight of those charges, with the rest dismissed, as part of a plea agreement.

The pleas to five counts of first degree sexual assault of a child, one count of incest, and two counts of felony child abuse were entered during a hearing before District judge Leo Dobrovolny

The arrest affidavit said law enforcement was made aware of the alleged assaults after the girl told a family member and was interviewed by law enforcement at the Capstone Child Enforcement Center in Scottsbluff. The affidavit also indicates the acts occurred in both Nebraska and Wyoming although all of the formal charges related to activity in Morrill County. Harsin faces the possibility of a very lengthy prison term when he is sentenced March 10th at 2:30 p.m.