BANGOR, Maine — A Levant man was sentenced Wednesday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to three years in prison with all but 60 days suspended for sexually molesting a female relative between 2003 and 2005 when she was between 5 and 7 years old.
John Costain, 46, pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unlawful sexual contact with a child under the age of 12, a Class B crime. Five other counts were dismissed.
In addition to jail time, Superior Court Justice William Anderson sentenced Costain to four years of supervised release. The judge ordered that Costain begin serving his sentence immediately.
Costain will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, Anderson said.
The defendant sobbed as he read a statement in court. He apologized to the victim and his family and asked for mercy.
“I want to be with my family again,” he said.
Bail conditions have prevented him from having contact with the victim, who is now a teenager. Conditions of supervised release will prevent Costain from having unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 16, including the victim.
In imposing the sentence, Anderson called Costain’s case “very unique.”
What made the case unusual, the judge said, was the fact that once the girl’s mother and other family members learned of the abuse, it stopped.
“It didn’t stop because either the police or [the Department of Health and Human Services] was knocking on the door,” Anderson said. “It appears that he prevented himself from doing this.”
The victim did not appear at Wednesday’s sentencing. The judge, however, referred to a letter from the victim that had been given to him.
“She does not want anything bad to happen to the defendant,” he said. “She says she’s not suffering. She says she’s recovered.”
The sexual contact was brought to the attention of police after the victim told the mother of a friend about it several years after it had stopped, Alice Clifford, assistant district attorney for Penobscot County, told Anderson. The woman reported the abuse to police in 2011.
Clifford recommended that Costain spend at least 18 months in prison.
Defense attorney Richard Hartley of Bangor asked Anderson to sentence his client to probation but no time behind bars.
Anderson said it would be “inappropriate” to suspend all of Costain’s sentence.
60 days? UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!
The judge would have thrown the book at him if he had a M.J. brownie in his possession,it’s a ll about priorities
you are so right!!
I cant imagine what a sick person you have to be to do what this monster has done.
But dont get caught smoking or posessing dope, you will go to sing sing for YEARS!
ALL ABOUT PRIORITIES! What a joke our justice system is.
Lawyers & corrupt lobbyists have basically brought this country to its knees. Countrywide Financial among others commits mortgage fraud after mortgage fraud and to this day those responsible,live The Life Of Reilly……
Yeah 3 yrs for pot possession which hurts no one and 60 days for traumatizing a child for life! Good job Maine Lawmakers!
Judge Anderson, if you happen to read BDN Discus, I’ll be the first to let you know that you are a LOW LIFE. How can you live with yourself after handing out a sentence like this? Five counts were dropped, and Costain was sentenced to 12 days in jail for each of five other counts (12 x 5 = 60 days). This means the pervert harmed this poor little girl 10 times that we know of.
Judge Anderson should be the one in jail. Who in the world puts a judge like him into office?
I cannot imagine the long term suffering the little girl will endure. My healing prayers are with you.
Disgusting.. where is the fair and balanced justice here?
not only the judge is a piece of crap why didnt the family even want a harsh punishment. i have 3 daughters and if anyone ever touched them i would ask for the death penality if they made even to a trial without me killing them first.
Wtf is this ? 60 days ! is this some sort of sick joke ?
YES
Ruins a young girl’s life.
60 days in jail.
the judge aught to be thrown in jail as well for handing down such a weak, insignificant sentence.
Does this mean he can get out in 30 daze for good behavior ?
Maybe you need to learn how to spell before you question the sentencing process. But I agree, the justice system is majorly flawed.
Why in the world would a mastery of spelling be a prerequisite for curiosity? God forbid someone ask a question!
Hooray, something we can all agree on!
judge figures it’s okay because they were related maybe? These judges need to be checked!
this is a travesty !
This is not justice. That child will have a much longer “sentence” to deal with, thanks to this creep. The sentence is a joke, and a very bad one at that.
Molesting a child between the ages of 5 and 7 and he gets 60 days? This girl will be a wreck fro the rest of her life. Nuts
What is wrong with this judge? Even the Grinch had a heart, might have been 3 times to small but at least he had one.
Thank you BDN for publishing the name of this shameful judge. Please do it everytime a sentence is reported. The public needs to know who is behind these wristslaps for child molesters.
Almay compares the Brownville mother who let teenagers drink to being a child molester and gives her a year in jail then this guy gets off with 60 days . Ok time for new leadership Almay and this Judge need to go.
60 Daze,that’s one stiff sentence …….
ATTENTION CHILD MOLESTERS… If you and your defense Attorney can get Justice William Anderson, the pedophile’s friendly judge, to hear your case you can be assured of not having to do any serious time. Apparently Justice William Anderson does not feel that child molestation is a serious crime.
You pretty much need to go out of Bangor to possibly get some justice. From a number of court cases I have seen in Bangor you only get any amount of time if you stab, or kill someone
60 days, and I see no mention of having to register as a sex offender?!
This is just awful.
It does say that hes has to register as a sex offender but 60 days is just wrong and ignorant and says that it is ok for you to molest a child wrong and sick on both parts…
Oh, it does. Odd. I don’t think it did originally. Perhaps it was updated on BDN’s latest modification to the article.
Also contains this otherwise hilarious addition:
Anderson said it would be “inappropriate” to suspend all of Costain’s sentence.
Should have been given 60 days just for showing up to court dressed that way.
is there any way this sentence can be reviewed ?
Doesn’t he own My Taxi?
WHY?
People should know that he could be driving them if they get in a cab with their kids.
I ride in their cabs all the time. and I have not seen him driving.
He doesn’t drive… He hasn’t driven cab in a long time.
Technically about a year ago they changed everything over to his wifes name. Money earned by the company still goes to help support a pedophile, I suggest boycotting My Taxi.
Maybe there was a reason he only got that long. ever think that. no every case is cut and dry. everyone needs to thing about that. maybe the victim asked for a liter sentance.
Now I know you are trolling.
READ THE ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!! she did
Yes child molestation is wrong and harms the child. I dont agree with it at all. However people change. And why does the world alwasy have to look at the negitive of everything.
i wish the baby this CRIME happened to could see it thru your eyes, she will forever know she has been violated.
ALSO these people have bee proven to do it again, and again. We need to exterminate these MONSTERS! People like this is what parents nightmares are made of!
The victim wrote a letter to the judge and asked for him to not get anything.
Did you not read the article
Does that make it ok? Absolutely not. No matter what color your glasses are or how much this animal cried and asked for forgiveness, the child will NEVER forget. His 60 day sentence is a joke. WRONG in everyway!
A victim may write a letter like that if they feel or are made to feel that their saying something was why the molester was jailed, This man raped a child repeatedly. Yes it was rape because NO child can consent to sexual contact. The man cried because he was caught and even after spending a year trying to buy his way out of could not completely do so.
So if someone who may never touch a kid looks at child porn he gets 5 years while only 60 days if they molest one?
This could be the best post ever. from Henerdson Bobby “So if someone who may never touch a kid looks at child porn he gets 5 years while only 60 days if they molest one?”
Well the DA guy just appealed his 16 year sentence for child porn . I will never understand the law.
I am speechless….what am I missing in this story?
Why does everyone in the world look at the negitive. People change. yes he did do something terribly wrong. but people change.
WOW!! How much time did you get?
Pedophiles don’t change. He should be branded or tatooed across his forehead.
My taxi is owned by a tammy
His wife
Yes it is his wife everyone knows that. From what i am hearing he left it to her so she could provide for her family. Is everyone really that crazy to destory these peoples lives. I feel they have gone through enough
Yes his wife who will spend money earned to continue to help support this pedophile at this time and who will most likely move back home after 60 days and still be supported by that money. The company was only changed over after they knew that charges were pending.
Then the city hall lies to people. Also the Bangor pd lies, its under his name, gosh
Not according to city hall.
AMAZING!!! this monster will be out on the streets soon, ruining some one elses life again.
NEED TO SERVE UP SOME REAL JUSTICE
Oh for crying out loud!! He sobbed–break our hearts you perv! Any sick desires towards a 5 year old don’t go away, I wouldn’t want him living next to my grandaughter!!
“I want to be with my family again,” he said.
I bet he does… wants more time alone with the nieces and nephews.
Parents beware… this is the owner of “My Taxi”
Don’t leave your kids in the car while you go get money from the house to pay your fare…
A much better option would be not to use My Taxi, I am aware they have changed the paperwork to his wifes name. still any money the company earns does go to help support a pedophile.
I believe there was a man sentenced to 16 years just recently for possesing child porn on his computer. This guy actually took the innocence of a little girl, starting at age 5.
I have seen people sentenced and serve longer time for stealing a car for a joy ride.
This guy needs to have Pedophile tattoed across his forehead. The judge needs to do penance for his lack of judgement.
I hope the boys in orange serve up some better justice for this creep than the man in black did.
That is sad and unreal that this man sexual abused a little girl, scarred her for life and his punishment….60 days in jail…WTF?!!!
Are you KIDDING ME?! 60 days in jail for molesting such a young child. I’m disgusted, I have lost all faith in the justice system.
Is this guy inbred?
The State of Maine Division of Corporations has listed that John Costain has recently filed registration for a new business called Bangor Airport Taxi Services. I guess it really is hard to break old habits.
Will he, ….now that he has been convicted, will be allowed to drive the taxi….because some of his passengers could be children????
People may want to realize there is more to the details of the case than most people are aware of. Three years was the sentence with most suspended and for very detailed reason. The judge spoke at length on that, but that doesn’t get reported.
Do tell !!!
Please do tell what kind of details would make it acceptable for a grown man to repeatedly rape a child from 5 to 7 years of age.
Perhaps you should look up State of Maine law. Rape of a child that age would have required a minimum sentence which was not the case here. My understanding is the judge stated, several times (with the agreement of the prosecutor)c that the statute DID NOT APPLY because that was not the crime. People are making statements that are untrue. What was done was heinous and horrible, but people are making comments about the case because the believe they know exactly what occurred. Anyone with moderate understanding of how to look up laws in Maine would be able to see that they likely don’t have all the pertinent facts.
60 days is not long enough–he has ruined her life for at least 60 years!
60 days!!!! Are you F$&!&@? Real? You would get more time for shooting a moose out of season! When are the laws fall into place that will put this scum away, and for a long time, oh, and he has to register? Another joke, there are a bunch who are to give their names when they move Tito town, and don’t, you never hear about a swat team nailing down a bunch of no name givers. I would like to know the number of people who are to be on this list and are not? Can we get that number some place?
ARE YOU SERIOUS..60 DAYS..FOR MOLESTING A CHILD…WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM…
60 days?? Now tell me that the justice system isnt totally wahcked???
60 days?? Now tell me that the justice system isnt totally bassackwards???
The girl stated she has recovered.
can only pray justice is served by those in prison during his 30 day visit
IF YOU ARE NOT ANGRY – YOU ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. 60 DAYS!!!! AND MAKING IT SOUND LIKE LESS OF A MONSTER BECAUSE HE STOPPED ONCE HE WAS CAUGHT IS PATHETIC. WHEN WILL WE START PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN AND GIVE THESE DISGUSTING LOSERS WHAT THEY DESERVE?
Sad part is this guy owns My taxi. He will be back to driving which i do not know how he can
why such a lite sentance? should be put to death
Amazing that this thing can sexually assault a child for over 2 years and the family covers it up until the story breaks open 6 years later… This thing is a monster to be sure, but I have to ask what kind of adult monsters are family to this man to have kept it quiet for so long till a relative stranger breaks the story to police?? The victim would now be roughly 14-15 years old. For her to say she is not suffering and is recovered is stunning in and of itself. I have known and do know victims of this crime and would also have to wonder who or where she got her counseling… Some folks would probably want a referral.
i go to prison for a minor theft charge for 3 years and i had 1 other charge on my record, and this pig gets 60 days in jail after abusing his step daughter, things like this makes our justice system sooo horrible. i cant even f-ing believe this bull crap. it makes me so mad. i am so disgusted.
so i am going to assume that the judge is ok with sexual assaults seems how he couldnt even give a proper harsh punishment crazyyyyyy