Law enforcement in northern Franklin and Oxford County are currently searching for two men, one of whom was convicted of gross sexual assault in 2012 and has not reported to his probation officer.
Shawn Batchelder, 36, was convicted of gross sexual assault by a Cumberland County court in May 2012, receiving a 25-year, Maine Department of Corrections sentence with all but 10 years suspended. That sentence included four years of probation.
The MDOC’s Office of Adult Community Corrections is now looking for Batchelder, who has not reported to his probation officer as required. He was last seen in the Augusta area on Sept. 12. MDOC has made Batchelder’s abscondment public due to a “concern he may be a danger to himself or potentially others,” per the MDOC release. The public is being asked to contact law enforcement if they see Batchelder, but not approach him.
Batchelder is believed to be in a heavily wooded area near Rangeley or Byron with another man, Steven Petersen. Petersen is reportedly out on bail relating to a sexual assault case out of York County.
According to Sheriff Scott Nichols, law enforcement has locally been searching for the two men since yesterday, after receiving information that they had been dropped off on Route 4 near the Appalachian Trail, with deputies, wardens, Border Patrol and state police taking part in the search. Nichols said in an email Friday that there was evidence that the men were in the Height of the Land area near Route 17 in Township D, with law enforcement locating a camp site in that area. One of the two men is possibly armed with a bow and arrows, Nichols noted.
Batchelder is described as being a white male, 5-foot, nine-inches and 250 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Petersen is described as being a while male, 5-foot, 11-inches and 140 pounds, with auburn hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information about Batchelder or Petersen is asked to contact law enforcement or email Doc.Wanted@Maine.Gov.
