AUGUSTA — A Randolph man was found guilty Tuesday of domestic violence assault resulting from an April 9 arson at his apartment.
Andrew James St. Amand, 34, had been indicted earlier this month in Kennebec County Superior Court on both the domestic violence assault charge as well as a charge of violating conditions of release, which allegedly occurred Sept. 29 in Augusta.
On Tuesday, St. Amand entered pleas of no contest to both charges, and Justice Donald Marden automatically found him guilty.
St. Amand was sentenced to four years in jail with all but four months suspended and two years’ probation.
The victim in both crimes was a woman who shared an apartment with St. Amand at 23 Windsor St., Randolph.
Assistant District Attorney Brad Grant told the judge the state could provide a witness to testify that St. Amand “jumped on the victim and pummeled her.”
He also said the state had photographs of bruising to the victim’s leg, but that the victim herself has refused to cooperate.
“We think the state can prove those facts as presented,” said St. Amand’s attorney, Stephen Bourget.
Grant said St. Amand has two previous assault convictions — with different victims — and that he violated a condition of bail by having contact with his roommate and exchanging paperwork with her.
That event was witnessed by an Augusta police officer, Grant said.
A court affidavit by Edward H. Hastings IV, an investigator with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, notes several people indicated St. Amand and his girlfriend had been arguing all day April 9 and that St. Amand was very intoxicated.
At one point, as his girlfriend left the building, St. Amand reportedly hollered, “I’ll have this place burned before you get back,” according to the affidavit.
Witnesses next reported seeing heavy fire coming from St. Amand’s apartment. They hollered to him, and he escaped by climbing out a window onto a tree and then to the ground.
The fire was extinguished, but later embers reignited and the resulting fire destroyed the building.
A grand jury in October heard from witnesses but did not return an indictment of arson.
A criminal investigation into the fire at the apartment building — which was owned by Dan Demeritt, of Sidney, formerly director of communications and legislative affairs for Gov. Paul LePage — is ongoing, assistant state fire marshal Joseph E. Thomas said.
The fire marshal’s office has said Demeritt is not a suspect.
Conditions of probation ban St. Amand from contact with the woman who witnessed the assault unless she consents in writing.
Bourget said the victim wants contact with St. Amand.
He also is prohibited from using or possessing alcohol and illegal drugs, and Bourget said St. Amand would be in counseling for substance abuse.
“At some point, Mr. St. Amand, you’ve got to address this issue of domestic violence,” Marden told him. “The rest of us in the community are pretty sick and tired of people who beat up women.”
Betty Adams — 621-5631
badams@centralmaine.com
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