FARMINGTON — An attorney entered a written not guilty plea Monday for a Franklin County corrections officer arrested on domestic violence charges April 22, and he waived the arraignment scheduled for Tuesday.

Defense attorney Walter McKee entered his appearance via the mail.

Maine Trooper Dezarae Fillmyer arrested Wyatt Haynes, 23, of Kingfield on April 22 on two counts of domestic violence assault and one count of domestic violence stalking. He was taken to the Somerset County Jail in Madison and released on $500 bail.

He is accused of assaulting a woman on or about Jan. 15 and again on or about March 14. The stalking, according to the state’s complaint, allegedly occurred on or between Jan. 1 and March 31.

Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said Haynes came to his supervisors and told them what was going on. He had a black eye, Nichols said. The case was turned over to Maine State Police. Haynes is suspended with pay pending the outcome.

Haynes began working at the Franklin County jail in Farmington in February 2021, Nichols said. He worked for the Somerset County Jail prior to the that.

York County District Attorney’s Office is handling the case.

On March 17, Fillmyer was asked by her supervisor to assist Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with a missing person’s case. They were looking for the female victim. Haynes reported that the woman was missing and she would be driving a Ford Sport Trac near the Best Western hotel in Waterville.

State police Detective Reid Bond interviewed Haynes who denied abusing the victim. He told police that the victim gave him a black eye after he tried to see her phone. He also asked for his truck keys several times, which she said she didn’t have.

The victim denied giving Haynes a black eye. She provided videos and photographs of injuries to police that she allegedly received on March 14 and a text thread, according to the affidavit. At no point in any of the videos can anyone see Haynes physically hitting the victim or her putting her hands on him. The victim described the nearly seven-year relationship as abusive.

The videos and text message thread did show some verbal abuse on Haynes’ behalf and some emotions and anger demonstrated toward the woman, according to the document.

A friend of the woman told police she had allegedly seen some photos of bruises/red marks on the woman’s arms and legs from Haynes.

There were multiple message threads dating back to 2016 showing Haynes’ verbal abuse, according to the affidavit. Several texts allegedly show Haynes telling the woman he was going to kill her, Fillmyer wrote.

The couple took temporary orders for protection orders out on each other on March 21. During the April 7 court date, the couple came to an agreement, according to the affidavit.

A conviction of each of the domestic violence charges are punishable by a maximum 364 days in prison and up to a $2,000 fine.

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