SKOWHEGAN — A Palmyra man was arraigned in district court Wednesday on charges that he sexually assaulted an underage girl in Pittsfield at the end of January.

Stephen S. Lowe, 39, was arrested Tuesday night on charges of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl, Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said Wednesday.

The sexual assault charge is a class A felony charge, punishable by as much as 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The contact charge is a misdemeanor.

Lancaster said county Detective Jeremy Leal investigated a complaint of unlawful sexual conduct, which had been turned over to the district attorney’s office by a caseworker at the state Department of Health and Human Services. The sheriff’s office received the complaint Feb. 21 and launched the investigation.

Lancaster said Lowe knew the girl but would not specify what their relationship was.

Lowe didn’t enter a plea in court Wednesday.

Bail was set by a judge at $10,000 cash or $50,000 in property, according to a jail intake officer. Information about whether Lowe has a lawyer was unavailable.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

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Twitter: @Doug_Harlow