Man Accused Of Sexual Assault Found Hanging In Cell

A man who was being held in connection with the sexual assault of a girl has died after he was found hanging in his cell.

Maine State Police say 35-year-old Stephen Tripp died early Tuesday morning at CMMC in Lewiston. Monday night, he was found hanging in his cell at the Franklin County jail. Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland says jail personnel found Tripp hanging from a bed sheet.

Tripp was arrested on Friday for gross sexual assault and possessing sexually explicit material of children under the age of 12. State Police began investigating him in October after sexual photos of girls were found in his cell phone.

State Police will now work with Franklin County Jail officials to investigate the death, which is standard procedure in all inmate deaths.