Maine Sheriff’s Deputy Accused Of Sexual Assault Pleads Not Guilty

A Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to charges he sexually assaulted three young girls.

Kenneth Hatch III of Whitefield was indicted earlier this month on three counts of sexual assault and 19 other charges.

Hatch was placed on paid administrative leave after he was arrested and originally charged with two counts of sexual abuse in June.

Sheriff Todd Brackett announced last week that Hatch’s status had been changed to unpaid leave.

Brackett will remain on unpaid leave until the department’s internal investigation is complete. That investigation is pending the conclusion of the Maine attorney general’s criminal investigation.

Police say his youngest victim was just 6 years old when he began sexually assaulting her in 2004. He’s also accused of providing one of the girls with marijuana in exchange for sex.