ROCKLAND, Maine — A 45-year-old Rockport man sentenced earlier this month to 14 years in prison for sexually assaulting a young girl over a two-year period has appealed his conviction.
The appeal to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court was filed Friday by attorney Steven Peterson of Rockport on behalf of Erik L. Vultee. Peterson said he also has applied to the state high court to have it consider an appeal of the sentence.
Justice Jeffrey Hjelm sentenced Vultee on Sept. 7 to 22 years in prison with all but 14 years suspended and ordered him to serve probation for 14 years upon his release. The maximum prison sentence could have been 30 years.
Peterson said the appeal will contend that the judge erred in not allowing testimony to be introduced to the jury about the home environment of the victim. He maintains that this evidence could have raised reasonable doubt to the jury.
Vultee was convicted June 18 of 10 counts of unlawful sexual contact, as well as single counts of attempted gross sexual assault, visual aggression against a child, sexual misconduct with a child and unlawful sexual touching.
Vultee did not testify during his trial but maintained his innocence at the sentencing hearing.
“I did nothing wrong. I am innocent of these charges,” Vultee told Justice Hjelm.
District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau argued Vultee committed the crimes against a girl in his care, starting when she was 8 years old and continuing for two years.
To reach a sexual assault advocate, call the Statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 800-871-7741, TTY 888-458-5599. This free and confidential 24-hour service is accessible from anywhere in Maine. Calls are automatically routed to the closest sexual violence service provider.