A jury trial for a Jefferson man accused of sexually abusing his daughter has been delayed to May.

According to court documents, the trial for 46-year-old James Hubert Exline has been pushed back from January 23rd to May 1st. The motion was made by defense attorney Daniel Gonnerman, and was granted by the specially assigned judge to the case, Judge James Drew.

Exline is charged with a Class A Felony for his second or subsequent offense for second degree sexual abuse and a Class C Felony for third degree sexual abuse. Exline is accused of sexually abusing his 12-year-old daughter, Paige Exline, from June 2016 to April 2017. The victim was one of two individuals who were killed in a house fire in Guthrie Center in May of 2017. The trial was moved from Greene County to Mitchell County this past October. Judge Kurt Stoebe granted Gonnerman’s request to have it moved, due to jurors having prior knowledge of the case.

The Iowa Attorney General’s office is the lead prosecutor and Assistant Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn will be assisting at the trial.

Raccoon Valley Radio will bring you more information as it becomes official.