Grand jury indicts Holden man accused of assaulting girls

By Judy Harrison
BDN Staff

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A Holden man was indicted June 30 on eight charges by the Piscataquis County grand jury.

Benjamin D. Steeves, 29, was indicted on one count each of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact, both Class A crimes, two counts of unlawful sexual contact, one a Class C crime, the other a Class D crime and four counts of assault, a Class D crime.

Steeves allegedly sexually assaulted two girls, then age 9 and 11, while visiting family friends in November 2014 in Milo, Piscataquis County District Attorney R. Christopher Almy said.

The prosecutor said that the girls reported the incidents to their mother a few days later. She took her daughters to a hospital, where staff are required by law to report child abuse to police.

Almy said Steeves was charged in February 2016 after the results of tests on forensic evidence submitted to the Maine State Police Laboratory were given to the district attorney’s office.

Steeves, who remains free on $10,000 unsecured bail, is not related to the girls.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Aug. 1 at the Piscataquis Judicial Center.

If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $50,000 on the Class A crimes.

Also indicted Wednesday were: Kelly J. Anderson, 30, Sebec, three counts of unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs.

Kenneth B. Finnemore Sr., 68, Dover-Foxcroft, domestic violence stalking, violation of a protection order, violation of conditions of release.

Darrick Trask, 29, LaGrange, operating after revocation.