FARMINGTON — A Connecticut man pleaded not guilty Monday to having sexual contact with a child under 12 years old in 2008.

David S. Rhoades, formerly of Eustis, moved out of state in 2008.

Rhoades, 45, now lives in Taftville, Conn. He was indicted on the felony charge of unlawful sexual contact in 2008 but had moved out of state and had not been charged.

Franklin County Detective David St. Laurent, now a lieutenant, had a warrant issued for an arrest. Rhoades was arrested in Connecticut recently and Franklin County deputies went there to bring him back to Maine.

Defense attorney Linda Sparks told Judge Nancy Carlson on Monday that Rhoades was arrested in 2008 and waited in jail for 90 days for Maine to pick him up. When no one picked him up, a Connecticut judge dismissed the charge and let him go, she said.

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Robbins said Rhoades knew an investigation was ongoing in 2008 and left the state. Rhoades kept calling people in Eustis to see what was going on, he said.

Robbins said he realized something happened in 2008, that either Connecticut did not contact Maine officials to inform them of Rhoades’ arrest or Maine did not go down and get him. The warrants stayed in the system.

Rhoades is also charged with two counts of operating after suspension.

Robbins said he was concerned that Rhoades did not contact Maine after he was released to check on the charges.

He is facing a charge of unlawful sexual contact, and it is unknown if he will go back to Connecticut if he is allowed to return to the state, Robbins said.

Robbins requested bail be set at $5,000 cash bail.

Sparks said he had someone who contacted Maine after he was released. Rhoades said he could make $2,000 cash bail and enter into a pretrial agreement.

Rhoades said he is living with his wife and sister-in-law in Connecticut.

“I turned myself in,” in 2008, he said, when he realized there was an arrest warrant out for him. He waived extradition and waited in jail for 90 days to be picked up and returned to Maine, he said.

Rhoades said he didn’t realize the sex charge still existed in Maine. He had all intentions to come back to Maine, but no one came to get him, he said.

He had regular contact with Connecticut police, he said.

Robbins said Rhoades should have still contacted Maine to see if the charges were cleared up.

“We don’t really know what happened,” Judge Carlson said.

Robbins changed his bail recommendation to $2,000 and a pretrial contract. Contract supervisor Richard Simcock said supervision could be done if Rhoades was out of state.

Carlson set bail at $2,000 cash and pretrial contract. Rhoades was also ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Rhoades also pleaded not guilty to the operation after suspension charges. Bail was set at $250 cash, concurrent with the felony bail.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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