FARMINGTON — A Wilton woman pleaded not guilty Friday to felony charges that she had engaged in sexual acts with a child under the age of 12.
Tami Ouellette, 43, was indicted by a grand jury in November on charges of gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and visual sexual aggression against a child. She also faces multiple charges for violating the conditions of her release and tampering with a witness, informant, juror or victim.
“Tami strongly maintains her innocence,” her attorney, William D. Maselli, said Friday.
Ouellette; her ex-husband, Jamie; and another woman, Anna LaRochelle, 26, of Anson, were originally charged in February 2015 after an investigation by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office found evidence the trio had sexually molested a child and forced the child to watch them have sex, according to an affidavit written by Franklin County Detective Kenneth Charles.
Jamie Ouellette and LaRochelle entered Alford pleas in September, not admitting guilt but conceding that the evidence against them probably would lead to conviction. Franklin County prosecutors dismissed lesser charges against Tami Ouellette in order to bring the more serious charges before a grand jury, her attorney said.
A call to Franklin County Assistant District Attorney Claire Andrews was not returned immediately Friday.
In the two-page indictment, the grand jury alleges Ouellette engaged in sexual conduct with the child between June 1, 2014 and Feb. 12, 2015. In a separate indictment, the grand jury charged Ouellette with violating conditions of her release that forbade her from having contact with the victim, the victim’s family, her ex-husband or LaRochelle. Ouellette had contact with her ex-husband over seven months in 2015, the grand jury indictment alleges.
The indictment also accuses Ouellette of pressuring a witness or informant in the case to give false testimony.
“Believing an official proceeding or an official crime investigation was pending or would be instituted,” Ouellette attempted to persuade a woman “to testify or inform in a manner she knows to be false,” the charge reads.
If convicted, Ouellette could face up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $50,000 for the assault charge. She could face an additional 10 years if convicted of the tampering charge, her attorney said.
Kate McCormick — 861-9218
kmccormick@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @KateRMcCormick
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