SKOWHEGAN — A former Skowhegan woman has been indicted by a Somerset County grand jury on three felony charges of unlawful sexual contact with two girls under the age of 12.
Amy Lorene Bussard, 43, showing addresses in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and Leesburg, Florida, faces three Class B felony charges beginning in January 2009. She entered pleas of not guilty in February.
The girls have the same last name. The Morning Sentinel is not listing the named victims because they are the alleged victims of child sexual abuse.
Skowhegan police Chief David Bucknam said in January that Bussard was arrested on a Somerset County warrant Jan. 15 by officers from the Okmulgee Police Department in Oklahoma. The warrant has been sealed, he said.
He said Deputy Chief Brian Gardiner and Officer Tifani Warren, of the Skowhegan police department, flew to Oklahoma with extradition papers to bring Bussard back to Maine to face charges.
The alleged crimes took place about eight years ago and involved two underage girls, Bucknam said.
He said the girls came forward recently to disclose the assaults.
Bussard is one of 14 people to be indicted by the grand jury during this recent session.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt, but is an indication that enough evidence is present to proceed with a trial.
Also indicted was Christopher Monroe, 32, of Waterville, charged with one count of elevated aggravated assault in connection with a Jan. 1, 2019 stabbing in Skowhegan. The charge is a Class A felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
The stabbing victim, Christopher Hongo, 29, of Norridgewock, was treated for his wounds and released by Redington-Fairview General Hospital in Skowhegan. He had been stabbed in the shoulder, side and “multiple times in the abdomen,” according to a court document.
Monroe waived extradition from Rhode Island and was returned to Maine on Jan. 17. He made his initial appearance Jan. 18 in a Skowhegan courtroom, where a judge told him what his rights are. Monroe did not enter a plea.
Others indicted by the grand jury include:
• Paul N. Hatch II, 29, of Fairfield, charged with one count of felony operating after revocation, Sept. 5, in Hartland. According to the indictment, Hatch has two previous convictions for operating after revocation.
• Darrell Woodard, 69, of Harmony, charged with two felony counts of unlawful sexual contact with a child under 12, both July 5, 2018, in Harmony.
• David A. Sincyr, 57, of Skowhegan, charged with felony burglary and misdemeanor theft, March 15, 2018, in Hartland.
• Leslie W. Ridley, 38, of Skowhegan, charged with felony aggravated operating after habitual offender revocation, operating after revocation, aggravated criminal operating under the influence, driving to endanger, leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries and aggravated assault, all on Sept. 22, 2018, in Madison.
• Leslie A. Starbird, 62, of Clinton, charged with two counts of felony domestic violence terrorizing, Dec. 4, 2018, in Smithfield. She has one previous conviction for domestic violence assault.
• Brandon Carleton, 24, of Skowhegan, charged with one count of felony domestic violence assault, Oct. 4, 2018, in Skowhegan. He has two previous convictions for domestic violence assault and one for domestic violence terrorizing.
• Jacqueline R. McClure, 27, of Palmyra, charged with one count of felony theft. She has two previous theft convictions.
• Michael Gray, 54, of Norridgewock, charged with one count of felony unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, Nov. 4, 2018, in Norridgewock.
• Aja A. Lemieux, 28, of Skowhegan, charged with felony criminal operating under the influence and misdemeanor operating beyond license condition or restriction.
• Kathy A. Lawrence, 62, of Bangor, charged with felony unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and with criminal forfeiture of $6,559, Oct. 5, 2018, in Palmyra.
• Daniel R. Driver, 26, of Pittsfield, charged with felony theft by deception, Aug. 4, 2018, in St. Albans.
• Daniel R. Driver, 26, of Pittsfield, charged in a separate indictment with felony theft by deception Sept. 20, 2018, in St. Albans.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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