PARIS – A juror’s impartiality is in question in the case of Kurt Sturtevant Sr. of Mechanic Falls, who was convicted of four sex charges last month.

The 41-year-old from 21 Clifford St. was found guilty by a jury on March 20 of gross sexual assault and three counts of unlawful sexual contact against a young girl. He faces up to 45 years in prison.

His attorney, John Jenness Jr., has moved for his acquittal or a new trial. In a motion dated March 30, Jenness accuses juror David Fulenwider of Buckfield of having prior contact with the girl’s grandmother, who was one of the state’s witnesses.

An affidavit dated March 28 says Fulenwider spoke to children at the Buckfield Junior-Senior High School after the trial had concluded about the proceedings and the verdict, “including the fact that the said juror knew and had worked with the witness … prior to the trial.”

According to the SAD 39 Web site, Fulenwider is employed at the school as a social studies teacher. Attempts to reach him Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The accusation was made by the husband of a defense witness in the trial, who says his nephew gave him the information.

Jenness’ motion also maintains that the evidence given in the trial “was insufficient to sustain the verdict, and reasonable doubt could not be avoided.” He questions the victim’s delay in making the charges against Sturtevant.

Sturtevant was accused of sexual contact with the girl from 1998 to 2005.

The motion states that Fulenwider’s failure to disclose his familiarity with the witness could have been intentional or unintentional. It also states that he should have alerted the court once he realized he knew the witness.

Sturtevant is free on $100,000 surety and awaiting an evaluation before being sentenced. He is under curfew at his home and forbidden to have contact with the victim, state’s witnesses, or children under the age of 16. He is scheduled to appear in Oxford County Superior Court on May 24.

Assistant District Attorney Joe O’Connor did not think the motion was significant.

“I’m confident that the verdict will stand,” he said. “Those types of claims are not usually successful.”

Attempts to reach Jenness on Tuesday were unsuccessful.