AUGUSTA — The former co-director of a youth ministry program in Canaan was indicted Friday on a charge of unlawful sexual contact that allegedly occurred with a child under the age of 12 between Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2014, in Clinton.
Lucas Savage, 27, of Clinton is charged with a Class B crime, and a conviction can carry a prison term of up to 10 years.
Savage was previously charged with the same crime in a complaint, and rejected a plea deal in the case on July 14, which then sent it to the Kennebec County grand jury.
An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but it indicates that there is enough evidence to proceed with formal charges and a trial.
Savage’s attorney, Pamela Ames, said Friday she anticipates Savage pleading not guilty when he is arraigned on the indictment.
Savage was a co-director of Youth Haven Ministry at the time of his arrest on the charge in March 2016.
Youth Haven Ministry is a nonprofit group that provides free programs for children and teens, including weekly children’s and teen hangouts, classes and activities. The ministry is affiliated with, but not part of, the Canaan Calvary Church, which provided financial support to the ministry in the past.
Savage is currently free on $1,000 cash bail with conditions that allow him to have supervised contact with children under age 16.
“We made an offer (July 14) and it was rejected, so we have not settled the case,” said Maeghan Maloney, district attorney in Kennebec and Somerset counties.
According to a police affidavit filed in the case, the girl identified as the victim, now 11, told her mother that Savage “had put his hand down (her) pants” and left it there when she spent the night at his home. She said Savage had touched her inappropriately “about 30 times” and that the two had exchanged “secret kisses.”
The indictment says Savage intentionally subjected the girl to sexual contact.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
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