Police Seek Hancock Man Accused Of Abusing 5-Year-Old Boy

Police say they're looking for a man who was indicted by the Hancock County grand jury last week for allegedly abusing a 5-year-old boy.

Josef Messer, 34, of Hancock was indicted June 9 on two counts of assault on a child less than 6 years old, two counts of reckless conduct, one count of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, reports the Bangor Daily News.

Hancock County District Attorney Matthew Foster says the assault and reckless conduct charges stem from two incidents that occurred in April.

During one incident, Foster says Messer wrapped the boy in a blanket and secured his torso and arms with a belt or bungee cord and secured his feet and legs with a power cord.

In the second incident, Messer allegedly held the boy in a tub of cold water until his core temperature dropped to 94 degrees Fahrenheit.

Messer was charged with unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs for allegedly providing the boy’s mother with Suboxone, a prescription medication that treats addiction.