BANGOR, Maine — An Indian Island man who allegedly raped a Bangor woman, then forced her to ride on a bus with him to Calais, was indicted Wednesday by the Penobscot County grand jury.
Shane W. Sapiel, 32, was indicted on charges of gross sexual assault, a Class A crime, and aggravated assault, a Class B crime.
His arraignment date has not been set.
Sapiel has been held at the Penboscot County Jail unable to make bail since his first court appearance on Sept. 12. At that hearing, Superior Court Justice William Anderson called the alleged knife assault and alleged rape of the 23-year-old victim on Sept. 2 at her Bangor apartment a “pretty vicious attack.”
The victim and Sapiel had met the day before through a friend but did not know each other, according to a previously published report. She told police that Sapiel “forced his way into her Hammond Street apartment just after midnight on the 2nd of September,” Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards said in a statement issued Sept. 12. “The victim reported that Sapiel assaulted her with a knife and also sexually assaulted her.”
Sapiel threatened the victim with a knife, cut her on the face and threatened to kill her, according to a previous report. In an effort to calm him down, she agreed to accompany him on a bus to Calais.
Once there, she was able to get away from Sapiel and went to the emergency room at Calais Regional Hospital, Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County, said in September. She was treated for her knife cuts and other injuries and released.
Sapiel was picked up by law enforcement on Sept. 5 in Washington County for violating his bail conditions and was sentenced to 48 hours in the county lockup for that offense. He was sent to the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor on Sept. 7.
If convicted, Sapiel faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 on the gross sexual assault charge, and up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000 on the aggravated assault charge.
Sapiel has a long criminal history that dates to when he was 16, according to Bangor Daily News court listings.
Amazing that this woman had the courage to accompany him and this may have saved her life. Glad she escaped not seriously harmed and was able to get away. This is the reason I have a CCW license as today’s world is nothing like the past. A person has to protect ones self because the crime ate is at a high these days and one has to depend on themselves to try to get away from harm. Hope this young lady gets some counseling and has a family and/or friends that will stand beside her after this horrific attack. May this POS stay locked up forever as he does not seem to have regard for anyone else. A crime history dating back to his 16th birthday is why Maine needs the 3 strike law because he would never have been free to harm a young lady both physically and mentally. Best of luck to the young lady and be sure to testify in court so this POS will never hurt another.
Yet another genius from that neighborhood.
He should be exterminated like the vermin he is. He has no value.
She was all cut up ??
Face cuts and etc.
Ended up at the hospital for treatment?
What did the bus driver think of that ??
Routine situation for the Calais run ??
He’s an old looking 32. They should put him down like an old dog.