FARMINGTON – A Salem man and an Auburn man were indicted on sexual assault charges by the Franklin County grand jury Friday, with the charges stemming from unrelated incidents that are alleged to have occurred within the county.
David E. Eaton, 59 of Salem, was indicted on two counts of gross sexual assault, both Class B felonies, as well as misdemeanor domestic violence terrorizing.
Both counts of gross sexual assault allege that Eaton engaged in a non-consensual sexual act with a woman who was either unconscious or otherwise physically incapable of resisting. The first charge relates to an incident that occurred between the dates of Oct. 1, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018. The second charge relates to an incident with the same woman that occurred between Nov. 1, 2018 and Feb. 6.
Eaton was initially arrested on the morning Feb. 6 by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputies, after they responded to a Salem address after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance. At that point, Eaton had been charged with misdemeanor domestic violence terrorizing.
Also indicted, as part of a separate case, was Richard Hunt, 24 of Auburn. He indicted on one count of gross sexual assault, a Class A felony; one count of unlawful sexual contact, a Class C felony; as well as misdemeanor violating conditions of release.
The gross sexual assault charge relates to an incident that allegedly occurred on Nov. 22, 2018 against one individual, while the unlawful sexual assault charge references a Nov. 24, 2018 allegation involving a different person. Both felonies are alleged to have occurred in Jay.
An indictment means that after considering the evidence the district attorney has presented, the grand jury believes there is probable cause, or a “reasonable belief” that the crime occurred.
Let’s see, once again the Sheriff’s department did their job now it’s up to the court system. Both men will serve very little time and will be given what will equate to a slap on the wrist. Surprise surprise surprise.
Has to be extremely frustrating for our law enforcement officers, just like at the border, catch and release.
News flash Wanna Bet: taxes pay for incarceration. Mainers are cheap. Mainers don’t want to pay for prison time on offenders…so you get them back in your neighborhood. So what do you expect? Magically low or no taxes yet stiff sentencing ( that is expensive) ????? Everyone whines about being called ignorant and backwards, they wail and scream no taxes, and then they rant that criminals aren’t imprisoned long enough……the lack of logic and basic math skills kinda proves the point: Franklin County is really backwards, ignorant and full of creepy crawlies….
It is common knowledge Maine’s light sentencing is to cut costs.