SKOWHEGAN — A Massachusetts man with ties to central Maine has been indicted by a grand jury on charges stemming from the August assault of an Athens man.
A Somerset County grand jury in December indicted Michael L. Cote Jr., 30, of Fall River, Massachusetts, on one Class A count of elevated aggravated assault and one Class B count of burglary for the Aug. 16 incident in Athens, according to court records.
The indictment alleges that Cote committed the assault with “brass knuckles and/or a baseball bat.”
Cote has not yet entered a plea. An arraignment originally scheduled for Jan. 15 was continued to Feb. 11 due to the availability of Cote’s attorney’s avail, court records show.
An indictment is not a determination of guilt but indicates enough evidence exists for a case to move forward to trial.
Cote was arrested Aug. 17 after police responded to a Hartland Road residence for a report of an assault, court records show.
Cote later told investigators that he and his wife, the mother of his daughter, went to confront the alleged victim because he believed the man had had sex with his 17-year-old daughter, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by Somerset County sheriff’s Deputy Stephen Armiger to support the arrest of Cote.
Cote knocked on the door of a camper on the property, pulled out the alleged victim and “punched him in the head with brass knuckles,” the affidavit says. Cote and the woman went inside the camper to see if anyone else was there before Cote went back to his vehicle.
Cote said he exited the camper, then heard the woman yell and saw the alleged victim holding a baseball bat and the woman’s head injured, the affidavit says. Cote then struck the alleged victim with the baseball bat, “rendering him unconscious.”
Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit detectives assisted in the investigation because the injuries were initially considered life-threatening, the affidavit says.
Cote was initially held in jail on $10,000 cash bail, but a judge reduced it to $1,000 cash in October, which Cote later posted, court records show.
Cote’s attorney, Hillary E. Knight of the Capital Region Public Defenders Office in Augusta, wrote in an argument to reduce the bail amount that Cote’s alleged offense may have been justified by self-defense or defense-of-others.
“While the defendant is alleged to have struck the alleged victim in the head with a metal baseball bat, that is only after the defendant learned the alleged victim himself had just struck the defendant’s wife in the head with the bat,” Knight wrote in the motion.
Knight continued, with respect to the burglary charge, that the confrontation began because Cote and the woman were looking for their minor daughter, who has a disability and was “having an inappropriate sexual relationship.”
Knight noted that Cote was working full time as a mechanic in Massachusetts at the time of his arrest. He grew up in Embden and has family in central Maine. Cote’s last criminal charge in Maine was a misdemeanor offense in 2014, and he has never been incarcerated, according to Knight.
The Somerset County grand jury also indicted the following 51 people when it met Dec. 12, 2024, in Skowhegan according to court records released this week by the district attorney’s office:
• Abraham Adams, 48, of Skowhegan, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking and criminal mischief, July 28, 2024, in Cornville.
• Ashley M. Provencal, 35, of Skowhegan, burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, July 8, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Bradley Smith, 37, of Anson, assault on a child less than 6 years old, May 6, 2024, in Anson.
• Benjamin T. Watts, 47, of Thomaston, theft by unauthorized taking and violation of condition of release, May 8, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Conrad Fisher Ayers, 23, of Waterville, criminal operating under the influence and two counts of driving to endanger, March 8, 2024, in Embden.
• Crystal Theresa Cougle, 31, of St. Albans, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and violation of condition of release, April 21, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Christopher Deprey, 25, of Levant, burglary, assault and criminal mischief, April 20, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Cory W. Dodge, 32, of Skowhegan, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, Oct. 7, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Cory M. Miller, 37, of Solon, four counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Sept. 13, 2024, in Solon.
• Sir Michael James, 47, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, six counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of falsifying physical evidence, Sept. 13, 2024, in Solon.
• Derick Sicard, 32, of Ludlow, Massachusetts, six counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Sept. 13, 2024, in Solon.
• Destiny L. Alton, 43, of St. Albans, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, Sept. 27, 2024, in Detroit.
• Dylan D. Boyce, 31, of Exeter, two counts of unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of condition of release, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Dereck J. Cronkite, 33, of Hartland, four counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, Oct. 9, 2024, in Hartland.
• Destiny Edes, 22, listed as transient, two counts of unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and one count of violation of condition of release, May 29, 2024, in Fairfield.
• Dylan Moody, 27, of Madison, assault on emergency medical service person, Aug. 11, 2024, in Madison.
• Erik S. Bickmore, 33, of Cambridge, domestic violence aggravated assault, Oct. 18, 2024, in Cambridge.
• Gregory Everett, 19, of New Sharon, eluding an officer, failure to stop for an officer, driving to endanger, violation of condition of release, operating after suspension and criminal speed, Oct. 18, 2024, in Norridgewock.
• Hunter P. Dyer, 31, of St. Albans, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking and violation of condition of release, June 10, 2024, in St. Albans.
• Joshua E. Blodgett, 33, of Skowhegan, burglary, criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit, criminal trespass and theft by unauthorized taking, Sept. 1, 2024, in Canaan.
• Jacob F. Brown, 36, of Palermo, theft by unauthorized taking, between Nov. 8, 2023, and June 17, 2024, in Fairfield.
• Jennie Lyn Creamer, 49, of Skowhegan, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and endangering the welfare of a child, Sept. 25, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Jammie M. Clark, 54, of Anson, kidnapping, domestic violence aggravated assault, domestic violence assault, domestic violence terrorizing and obstructing report of crime or injury, Aug. 23, 2024, in Anson.
• Justin R. Richardson, 35, listed as transient, theft by unauthorized taking and violation of condition of release, Aug. 9, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Justin R. Richardson, 35, listed as transient, theft by unauthorized taking and violation of condition of release, July 25, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Jason S. Reny, 42, of Winslow, aggravated criminal mischief, attempted aggravated assault, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, driving to endanger and violation of condition of release.
• Jasmine Mower, 29, of Palmyra, two counts of unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, Oct. 4, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Jennifer M. Hight, 47, of Palmyra, two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of violation of condition of release, Aug. 29, 2024, in Palmyra; violation of condition of release, Sept. 11, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Jamie L. Ramsdell, 43, of Pittsfield, two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Aug. 29, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Justin E. Stevens, 33, of Skowhegan, domestic violence aggravated assault, Oct. 3, 2024, in Skowhegan; domestic violence aggravated assault, criminal restraint and domestic violence assault, Oct. 5, 2024, in Skowhegan; criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence assault, criminal restraint and obstructing report of crime or injury, Oct. 7, 2024, in Skowhegan; tampering with a victim, between Oct. 7 and Oct. 17, 2024, in Skowhegan; domestic violence stalking, between Oct. 3 and Oct. 7, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Justin E. Stevens, 33, of Skowhegan, tampering with a victim and violation of condition of release, Oct. 17, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Jeremy J. Vashon, 47, of Skowhegan, burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, Aug. 1, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Joshua A. Washburn, 38, of Clinton, receiving stolen property, unauthorized use of property and operating after suspension, July 17, 2024, in Hartland.
• Katie N. Murray, 32, of Pittsfield, unlawful possession of scheduled drugs and failure to give correct name, Sept. 22, 2024, in Fairfield.
• Kyle Thomas, 46, of Princeton, New Jersey, receiving stolen property, July 28, 2024, in Cornville.
• Kyle Thomas, 46, of Princeton, New Jersey, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, criminal trespass and criminal mischief, Sept. 1, 2024, in Canaan.
• Kasiem Smith, 30, of Worcester, Massachusetts, four counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and one count of criminal simulation, Aug. 29, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Lynn A. Gagnon, 46, of Standish, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and terrorizing with a dangerous weapon, Aug. 23, 2024, in Skowhegan; violation of condition of release, Aug. 25, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Lynn A. Gagnon, 46, of Standish, tampering with a victim, violation of condition of release and violation of a protective order, Oct. 31, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Lawrence J. Church Jr., 37, of Pittsfield, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, operating after revocation and two counts of violation of condition of release, Sept. 1, 2024, in Pittsfield.
• Michael Croteau, 53, of Palmyra, operating after revocation and violation of condition of release, July 18, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Matthew A. Shaw, 28, listed as transient, two counts of aggravated forgery and one count of theft by unauthorized taking, Sept. 9, 2024, in Hartland.
• Matthew A. Shaw, 28, listed as transient, unauthorized use of property and operating without a license, Sept. 8, 2024, in Hartland.
• Michael R. Mooney, 53, of Waterville, theft by unauthorized taking, July 22, 2024, in Pittsfield.
• Matthew J. Ewings, 46, of Skowhegan, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Sept. 11, 2024, in Skowhegan; aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Sept. 17, 2024, in Skowhegan; two counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, Sept. 25, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Nathan A. Stuart, 45, of Starks, two counts of domestic violence aggravated assault, Aug. 15, 2024, in Starks.
• Patrick K. White, 36, of Skowhegan, burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, July 8, 2024, in Skowhegan.
• Rebecca M. Mceachern-Gorman, 31, of Waterville, one count of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and two counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs, Oct. 6, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Richard D. Walsh, 44, of Hartland, burglary, violation of a protective order and criminal mischief, Aug. 13, 2024, in St. Albans; stalking, between Aug. 13 and Sept. 18, 2024, in St. Albans; violation of a protective order and domestic violence terrorizing, Sept. 18, 2024, in St. Albans.
• Sadye Day, 32, of Hartland, four counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and violation of condition of release, Oct. 9, 2024, in Hartland.
• Somer Mongeon, 46, of Skowhegan, two counts of aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, Oct. 18, 2024, in Madison.
• Scott P. Mercier-Caruso, 36, of Hartland, operating after revocation, July 10, 2024, in Hartland.
• Shawna Watts, 37, of Thomaston, theft by unauthorized taking, violation of condition of release and operating after suspension, May 8, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Tina M. Boutin, 43, of St. Albans, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, April 21, 2024, in Palmyra.
• Zachary J. Erkson, 34, of Cushing, one count of operating after revocation, July 31, 2024, in Norridgewock.
• Zackahria A. Stewart, 18, of Burnham, theft by unauthorized taking, Sept. 3, 2024, in Fairfield.
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