FARMINGTON — A local man accused of sexually assaulting and having unlawful sexual contact with a girl under age 12 was being held Friday night on $10,000 cash bail at the Franklin County Detention Center.
John R. Cushman, 30, of Farmington was arrested Wednesday by police officer Ariana Bacon on a charge of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact, according to Bacon’s affidavit filed in a Farmington court.
The alleged crimes took place between Jan. 26 and Nov. 9 this year, according to police.
According to the affidavit, Bacon followed up on statement made by the girl’s mother after a doctor interviewed the child and the mother advised police what the doctor had learned. The victim was interviewed by the Child’s Advocacy Center, which trains employees in special forensic interviews with children. Staff does not ask leading questions and does not force children to be interviewed, and law enforcement officers are not present.
On Wednesday, Farmington Police Chief Kenneth Charles and Bacon went to a residence where Cushman was staying to interview him. He told police, “Nothing happened but I already know what you’re going to do, so go ahead and arrest me, and I’m going to get a lawyer,” according to Bacon’s affidavit.
Cushman was arrested and taken to the Farmington jail and held without bail.
On Friday, Cushman appeared before Judge Philip Mohlar via Zoom from the jail.
Assistant District Attorney Ellex St. Pierre and defense attorney Curtis Rice were also on the videoconference. Both said Cushman has no criminal convictions on his record.
St. Pierre asked for $10,000 bail or $7,000 bail plus a supervised agreement with no contact with the girl, her mother and children under age 16. She said she was concerned for the safety of the girl and the public.
Rice said Cushman could probably make bail between $1,000 and $1,500. He said he wasn’t a flight risk because he has lived in Maine his whole life. He is staying with a relative in Farmington and would continue to do so if he was released, he said.
Mohlar set bail at $10,000 cash or $5,000 cash plus a supervised release agreement.
At the request of St. Pierre, he added the condition that he not possess any dangerous weapons.
A conviction on each charge is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
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