Consultations by Appointment Only
A Maine sex crime attorney can explain the process and your rights, whether you have been charged or are being investigated. An accusation can begin long before any charge, with a call from a detective or a letter from a school.
A former Maine Assistant District Attorney on our team
Felony defense in all 16 Maine counties
Offices in Kennebunk, Brunswick and Portland
Confidential. Reviewed by an attorney, not an intake service.
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Some cases are investigated for weeks or even months before any charges are filed. The first contact may be a detective asking to speak with you.
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Maine uses charges such as gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact. Maine’s criminal code has no crime named “rape,” so a rape defense lawyer in Maine is usually defending a gross sexual assault charge.
Phones, messages and online accounts are often part of these cases.
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Some convictions carry sex offender registration requirements, which is separate from any sentence imposed.
We handle felony cases in all 16 Maine counties, and misdemeanor cases in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Sagadahoc and York counties. We handle sex crimes in Maine from gross sexual assault to dissemination of sexually explicit material and indecent conduct in Maine, often searched as indecent exposure in Maine, and a soliciting prostitution charge. If you searched for a sexual assault defense attorney near me, the table shows the office and courthouse closest to you.
Kennebunk office
Brunswick office
Portland office
Kennebunk is on Main Street, Brunswick on Maine Street, and Portland is in the Old Port. All meetings are by appointment.
Fill in the form or call 207-571-8146 with questions for our sexual assault lawyers or to set up a consultation.
Police gather statements and other evidence.
If a charge is filed, bail conditions are set and apply right away.
Felony-level charges generally go to a grand jury for indictment.
The State shares its evidence with the defense. Brunswick cases, arraigned in West Bath, continue in Portland.
The prosecutor and the defense meet to discuss the case.
If the case is not resolved, it can go to motions and then trial.
Founder and Managing Attorney William T. Bly is a seasoned trial lawyer with two decades of experience defending clients in Maine state and federal courts against charges ranging from OUI and drug trafficking to manslaughter and serious sexual assault, drawing on advanced training from Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College.
With nearly 25 years of experience as a former Maine Assistant District Attorney, seasoned trial attorney, and winning appellate advocate before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Attorney Feldman now brings rigorous preparation, an educator’s clarity, and nonjudgmental compassion to his criminal defense clients.
Gross sexual assault is one of Maine’s most serious sex offenses and the statute’s term for what other states call rape. It involves a sexual act without consent or under prohibited circumstances, such as force, incapacity or a child’s age. It can be Class A, B or C, and a sexual act with a child under 14 is a Class A crime.
Unlawful sexual contact is touching someone’s gentiles for sexual gratification or to cause injury or offensive contact, under circumstances the statute prohibits, such as a lack of consent or the other person’s age. It ranges from Class D to Class A, depending on the type of contact, the ages involved and any position of authority as well as many other factors. Depending on the factual circumstances, it can also be charged as Unlawful Sexual Touching, which is generally a class D misdemeanor.
Maine uses classes instead of those words. Class A, B and C crimes are commonly treated as felony-level, and Class D and E as misdemeanor-level. Gross sexual assault is Class A, B or C. Unlawful sexual contact ranges from Class E to A. Unlawful sexual touching is usually Class D, and indecent conduct is usually Class E.
They depend on the tier, which is set by the offense of conviction. Tier I lasts 10 years, Tier II 25 years and Tier III life, with in-person verification more often at the higher tiers. Registrants also report changes of home, job or school. Some convictions carry no registration requirement at all.
The age of consent in Maine is generally 16, though several statutes apply. A sexual act with someone under 14, other than a spouse, is gross sexual assault, a Class A crime. With a 14 or 15 year old, it is sexual abuse of a minor if the other person is at least 5 years older.
Not in the way the question suggests. In 2023 Maine repealed the crime of engaging in prostitution, so selling sex is no longer a crime under that statute. Buying sex remains a crime. What people call a soliciting prostitution charge is engaging a person for prostitution: Class E, or Class D with a prior within 2 years.
We have offices in Kennebunk, Brunswick and Portland, and a Maine sex crime attorney on our team can explain the process. We focus on criminal defense, and meetings are private and by appointment. People comparing sex crimes attorneys in Maine, or looking for a sexual assault defense attorney near me or a sexual assault defense lawyer they can meet in person, can call 207-571-8146 or use the form. Our sexual assault lawyers can talk with you before you decide anything.
We are a boutique law firm, and we stand out by prioritizing our clients’ well-being. At The Maine Legal Group, our experienced team offers personalized attention in both criminal defense and divorce cases.
The Maine Criminal Defense Group adeptly handles all areas of criminal defense practice, including experienced and skilled legal representation for state and federal charges.
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