A 35-year-old Powell man is facing 14 felony counts that allege he sexually abused a minor over multiple years.

Jacob M. Norris was arrested last month and the case formally became public last week, after it advanced to the district court level. The charges against Norris include counts of first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and carry the possibility of substantial prison time.

He posted a $250,000 surety bond and was released from the Park County Detention Center on Monday.

Charging documents say the Park County Sheriff’s Office received a report of sexual abuse Feb. 23. The alleged victim told deputies that Norris repeatedly subjected her to sexual contact and intrusion; she said at one point, Norris made a threat about what he would do if she didn’t cooperate, Sgt. Phil Johnson recounted in an affidavit.

The following day, deputies had the girl send a text to Norris in which she said she was having a hard time keeping “the stuff that was happening between me and you” a secret.

“This would be very bad for me if you say something,” Norris reportedly replied. “I could end up in jail over that, for something that shouldn’t have happened.”

In a subsequent interview with the sheriff’s office, Norris allegedly said he was referring to a one-time “mistake” last year, in which he sexually touched the teen over her clothes while he was drunk.

“He said he stopped at the touching because he knew it was wrong and he could tell that it was obvious she didn’t want it …,” Johnson wrote in his affidavit.

Norris denied that anything else had happened and disputed the girl’s account of more intense and repeated abuse, the affidavit says.

The girl also reported that Norris had taken photos of her with her clothes off and the affidavit says authorities found a topless photo on Norris’ phone from 2025 that the girl identified as being of her. That led to a felony count of possessing child pornography.

‘He’s wanting to fight the case’

At Norris’ initial court appearance on Feb. 27, Deputy Park County Prosecuting Attorney Ericka Smith recommended that bond be set at $250,000 cash.

Smith said she could have filed “hundreds” of charges and called the allegations “horrific.”

“I’m sorry to use that word, but they are,” she said.

However, Norris’ defense attorney, Brigita Krisjansons, said setting bond that high would punish Norris’ family, which relies on him for income.

“It’s a serious case, but my client has a home. He has a family. He has employment. His employer is standing by him; he has that job if he’s able to get out,” Krisjansons said.

She said safety concerns could be addressed by an ankle monitor and conditions and that Norris isn’t a flight risk

“He’s wanting to fight the case,” Krisjansons said, “and that’s what we’re here to do.”

She recommended that bond be set at $50,000 cash or surety, which would have allowed Norris to go free by paying a bondsman $5,000. But Smith, the prosecutor, called that recommendation “just completely inappropriate” and suggested at least a $500,000 surety bond — which would require a nonrefundable $50,000 payment. Smith added that “there’s nothing about an ankle monitor that keeps anybody safe.”

Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah wound up setting bail at $450,000 cash or surety, citing concerns about a flight risk or even suicide. However, the prosecution and defense agreed last week to reduce that figure to $250,000 cash or surety; that allowed Norris to hire a bondsman for what is usually a nonrefundable 10% of the bond amount, or, in this case, $25,000. He will be required to wear an ankle monitor and stay away from the girl, among other bond conditions.

Norris also agreed to waive his right to a preliminary hearing in circuit court last week, which resulted in the case advancing to Park County District Court on March 10.

In sex crime cases, state law requires court officials and authorities to keep defendants’ names confidential at the circuit court level, where only initials are used. Smith accidentally disclosed Norris’ last name at the Feb. 27 hearing, but Darrah ordered the Tribune to only use initials until the case advanced to district court.

Norris’ next appearance will be an arraignment, where he will formally enter a plea to the 14 charges.