SANDPOINT - A Bonner County jury convicted a North Idaho man of sexual abuse of a minor, but deadlocked on three additional counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on Monday.

Jurors deciding the case against Ernest Johnson III advised 1st District Judge Barbara Buchanan around 2:30 p.m. that they had reached an insurmountable impasse on the remaining counts.

"Further discussion would be of no use," the jurors' note said, according to Buchanan.

Buchanan polled each member of the panel - seven men and five women - to confirm they were hopelessly deadlocked.

Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall said he has not decided if he will renew proceedings on the counts the jury disagreed on. Marshall said the charge Johnson was convicted of is still a serious offense that can result in a 25-year prison term and registration as a sex offender.

"We'll have to take a look at it and we'll weigh it against the potential harm to the kids that have to testify, obviously, and resources," said Marshall.

Johnson's defense counsel, Serra Woods, had no comment following the jury's verdict.

Johnson, 34, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15. He remains held at the Bonner County jail.

Johnson and his wife, Heidi, were indicted by a grand jury last year on six counts of lewd conduct for allegedly abusing young boys and girls, all of whom were siblings. Heidi Johnson was convicted by a jury in the spring and is seeking a new trial after one of the alleged victims recanted her testimony.

Heidi Johnson's parents were also implicated in some of the abuse and are awaiting trial on multiple counts of lewd conduct.

Both couples have maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.

Jurors began deliberating the case on Thursday morning. Jurors' deliberations continued through Friday and resumed on Monday morning.

The jury concluded that Ernest Johnson fondled a 12-year-old girl in 2010, but was unable to reach unanimous verdicts that he engaged in lewd conduct with her, her younger brother and her younger sister.

The defense argued during closing remarks that the case against Johnson bore a striking similarity to the infamous Wentachee, Wash., child sex case in which many of the allegations were revealed to be fabrications. The state countered that the alleged victims had no motivation to concoct the allegations and subject themselves to the rigors of the investigative process and the witness stand.