AUBURN — A New York man Friday didn’t contest his assault conviction stemming from a stabbing in December 2013.

Tarik Vincent Rankins, 34, of Queens, N.Y., was sentenced in Androscoggin County Superior Court to three years in prison with all but six months suspended, plus three years probation for aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon.

Assistant District Attorney Lisa Bogue said she would have called witnesses who were in an apartment at 21 Howe St. in Lewiston on the night of Dec. 5, 2013, Rankins’ birthday, who would have testified they saw Rankins arguing with the victim, Julien Guy.

Guy yelled from the apartment’s living room that he had been stabbed. He was taken to a Lewiston hospital, where he underwent several surgeries. Doctors said the knife point nicked a muscle in Guy’s back.

Rankins told police he argued with Guy, but left after he punched him, according to court records.

Police found Rankins shortly after the incident in possession of a knife with blood that matched Guy’s DNA, Bogue said.

Guy was not expected to be available to testify at trial.

Rankins entered a no-contest plea because he maintained he didn’t stab Guy. He acknowledged that a jury could have found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt if the state were to provide its circumstantial evidence at trial. 

Charges of elevated aggravated assault, aggravated assault and refusing to submit to arrest were dismissed.

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