SKOWHEGAN — The Somerset County district attorney’s office has declined to prosecute a domestic assault allegation against Ryan Morgan, chairman of the Farmington Board of Selectmen.

District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said Tuesday that a review by First Assistant District Attorney Brent Davis determined that there was not enough evidence present in the alleged assault on one of Morgan’s children to bring the case to trial.

“Parents are allowed to discipline their children, but the conduct cannot be a gross deviation from the norm,” Maloney said. “In this particular case against Mr. Morgan, the state could not prove that he ever even touched the person in question.”

Morgan, 40, was charged Nov.10 by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with class D domestic violence assault. At the time, the sheriff’s department said the charges were filed after referral to the state Department of Health and Human Services and involved an incident that allegedly occurred Nov. 6 involving a family member under the age of 14.

Morgan’s lawyer, Woody Hanstein, said Morgan and his wife made their child available for interviews, examinations and photographs during the investigation.

Hanstein said Morgan spoke with the investigating officer and was cooperative with a DHHS worker looking into the case.

“Mr. Morgan cooperated fully in this investigation from its inception,” Hanstein said in an emailed statement. “He is obviously gratified and relieved by this decision.”

Hanstein said that after looking at the full investigation presented to Davis — one that included statements from multiple witnesses, photographs and the statement of a medical doctor — Davis decided that prosecution of the matter should be declined because of a lack of evidence.

Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols said while the alleged assault reportedly occurred in Farmington, it was investigated by the sheriff’s department because the Farmington police are supervised by the selectmen. Detective Ken Charles interviewed Morgan at the sheriff’s department and arrested him.

Maloney said because Morgan is a public figure, the case was transferred from Franklin County courts to neighboring Somerset County court in Skowhegan. Morgan is also the chairman of the Franklin County Republican Committee, and he is a member of the Franklin County budget committee.

“It was transferred to be sure that those who are reviewing the case are people who don’t know him and don’t know any of the people involved,” she said.

After Morgan’s arrest, Town Manager Richard Davis said it would be up to Morgan to decide whether to continue in his position as chairman and as a board member. He said he did not expect selectmen to take up the matter formally.

Morgan was voted chairman of the board in 2013. Along with serving as a selectman, he has worked on the town’s budget committee and police space committee, according to his biography on the town website.

According to the biography, he lives in Farmington with his wife and two children. A licensed master electrician, Morgan is owner of RDM Electric in Farmington.

Contacted by phone Tuesday afternoon, Morgan declined to comment on the case.

Hanstein, his lawyer, said his client is glad the case is over and done with.

“Mr. Morgan is especially relieved that he is now free to go home to his family in time for the Thanksgiving holiday,” Hanstein said in the statement. “Because he has volunteered so much of his time in his Farmington community, he is more of a public figure than many others, and this notoriety has unfortunately made this whole ordeal even more difficult for him.

“Throughout the past two weeks he has been particularly thankful for the love and support he has been shown by his family and friends, and he is also grateful that so many others in the community have kept open minds while this investigation was taking place.”

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @Doug_Harlow