A St. Albans man faces charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a child younger than 12, according to police.

Andrew C. Smith, 28, has been charged with gross sexual assault, a Class A offense, and unlawful sexual contact, which is Class B.

Somerset County Sheriff Dale P. Lancaster wrote in a statement released Tuesday to the news media that his office received a complaint July 1 from the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office regarding a possible criminal referral from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

“The DHHS referral was a child under the age of 12 that had allegedly been sexually assaulted by an adult male,” Lancaster wrote.

Detective Jeremy Leal of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office was assigned to investigate the case and obtained information that Smith had been identified as the suspect, according to Lancaster.

After conducting forensic interviews and interviewing Smith, an arrest warrant was issued and Smith was taken into custody at his residence and brought to the Somerset County Jail in Madison.

Smith appeared in court Monday, according to Lancaster, where his bail was set at $50,000, with conditions including he not have contact with the alleged victim, the alleged victim’s family or anyone younger than 16.

Smith’s is next scheduled to appear Aug. 25 at Somerset County Unified Criminal Court.

The case is being reviewed by the Somerset County District Attorney’s Office, according to Lancaster.

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