FARMINGTON — A Maryland man pleaded guilty Monday to sexually abusing a girl in 2012, even though he maintained his innocence but acknowledged a jury could have convicted him if he stood trial.
Michael Massey, 33, of Hyattsville, Md., pleaded guilty to a felony charge of sexual abuse of a minor and a misdemeanor charge of furnishing liquor to a minor, according to Franklin County Superior Court documents.
In exchange for his Alfond plea, Massey’s sentence was delayed for a year. Conditions include he have no contact with the victim and obtain counseling as directed. If he adheres to the agreement he will be allowed to withdraw his plea to the felony charge and enter a plea to a misdemeanor assault charge, Assistant District Attorney Joshua Robbins said.
According to a Maine State Police affidavit filed with the court, the girl, who was younger than 16, and Massey were on a group camping trip at a remote site in Weld in July 2012. The girl told police Massey provided her with beer. She said she fell asleep in a lounge chair and woke up to find Massey committing a sexual act, the affidavit states. She told police she did not try to resist because she was afraid of him.
A witness told police there was a lot of drinking during the trip.
Maine State Police Detective Randall Keaten recorded a phone interview with Massey in April 2013 and Massey denied having any sexual contact with the girl during the trip, according to the affidavit. Keaten advised Massey of the sexual assault allegations and that evidence had been recovered. The investigator asked Massey for a DNA sample but Massey declined, according to the affidavit.
He was indicted in April 2014.
“Mr. Massey has adamantly denied any wrongdoing from the day I met him over a year ago,” defense attorney Walter “Woody” Hanstein said. “He has entered this plea solely because the stakes for him and his family are so high should a jury have convicted him after trial.
“I have no doubt that he will fully honor the terms of his deferred disposition and then he will be able to enter a plea to a misdemeanor assault charge in one year’s time and put this matter completely behind him,” Hanstein said.
Massey is to appear in court April 29, 2016.
dperry@sunmediagroup.net
Send questions/comments to the editors.
