A Scarborough man who was accused of stabbing a teenager at a high school soccer game last year accepted a plea deal that will result in a misdemeanor conviction in 2020 if he has no new criminal conduct.
Nicholas “Nico” Blanchard, 21, was charged with aggravated assault, a Class B crime. He was also charged with violation of conditions of release, a Class E crime related to another pending criminal trespassing case.
Nicolas Blanchard stands next to his attorney, Ed Folsom, at an appearance at the Cumberland County Courthouse in 2018. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer
Police said he stabbed a 15-year-old high school student Oct. 26, 2018, with what appeared to be a box cutter over a supposed $20 debt. The victim later received two stitches to close the roughly one-inch wound to his chest. Blanchard was arrested the day after the assault occurred in the lower parking lot of Scarborough High School, and he remained at the Cumberland County Jail for several days until he posted $1,000 cash bail.
In March, Blanchard returned to jail for 176 days as part of an agreement by the defense and the prosecutor. He was released in August and returned to court to sign a deferred disposition agreement.
As part of that deal, he pleaded guilty to reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and violating conditions of release. But his sentencing was deferred for one year, and if he follows the conditions of the court and does not have new criminal conduct, the reckless conduct charge will be dismissed. That charge is a Class C crime, or a felony. It will instead be replaced by a conviction of assault, a Class D crime or misdemeanor. His sentence will be the jail time he has already served, as well as one year of probation.
The terms of the agreement also require that Blanchard work or go to school, complete community service, pay $100 restitution and not possess any weapons, including knives and box cutters. A background check shows he has not been charged with any new crimes since he signed the deferred disposition in August.
The unrelated criminal trespassing case was dismissed in March.
Ed Folsom, who represents Blanchard, said neither he nor his client had any comment.
Cumberland County District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck said he hopes Blanchard is successful on the deferred disposition.
“It is orchestrated in a way so that he would avoid a felony conviction,” Sahrbeck said. “Because of his young age, we’re hoping he’s not going to be a convicted felon for life.”
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