PHILLIPS – A local man was arrested for gross sexual assault yesterday, with the alleged victim being under the age of 16 when the assault reportedly occurred.
Erick J. Wilding, 53 of Phillips, was arrested at his home on Dec. 20 on one count of gross sexual assault, a Class B felony. The arrest followed a Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigation which began after Deputy Andrew Morgan received a complaint about an alleged sexual assault of a minor on Dec. 15. The alleged victim was under the age of 16.
According to Sheriff Scott Nichols, Morgan conducted the initial interviews and was later assisted by Lt. David St. Laurent in the investigation. As a result of Morgan and St. Laurent’s investigation and interviews, Nichols said, Wilding was arrested at his home in Phillips on Dec. 20.
He was transported to Franklin County Detention Center, with bail being initially set at $2,500 cash. He is awaiting his initial appearance in court.
I’d like to thank the sheriff’s department for all that they do. I really appreciate their website, as I like to be kept up to date with any crime that is going on in this area. Lately, the website: http://www.franklincounty.maine.gov/2016-logs has not been updating the Jail Intake Logs daily. I haven’t seen any postings since December 12, 2016. I thought there was a fat/slim chance that there hadn’t been any arrests since then. Perhaps, I am not searching the site correctly.
This kind of conduct will continue until the justice system hands down harsher sentences.
When will it stop!? Something NEEDS to be done!