BELFAST, Maine — A Searsport man pleaded guilty Wednesday to two charges of sexual abuse of a minor and was sentenced at a hearing in Waldo County Superior Court.
Joshua Sykes, 36, abused the girl who was 15 years old in January 2013, according to a prior report in the BDN. One of her family members called the Searsport Police Department in February 2014 to report the crime. Detectives interviewed the teen, her family and others before speaking with Sykes.
He was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison with all but nine months suspended for the crimes, with the sentence scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on March 2, according to Chief Dick LaHaye of the Searsport Police Department.
Sykes also has been ordered to serve two years of probation, with conditions that include having no contact with the victim.
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.