WISCASSET, Maine — A Nobleboro man pleaded guilty to felony assault and criminal threatening Wednesday and faces up to 13 years in prison after reaching a plea deal during his trial.
Scott L. Gifford, 52, attacked a relative with a stun gun outside her Damariscotta home on Aug. 27, 2014.
Gifford, who is a lifetime registrant on the Maine Sex Offender Registry, had faced charges of Class B criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and Class C assault, according to an indictment.
Class B felonies carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Class C felonies carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The state dismissed a fourth charge of Class A aggravated assault June 1 because of “insufficient evidence of serious bodily injury,” according to court documents. Class A crimes carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
The Maine Sex Offender Registry lists Gifford as a lifetime registrant with convictions for gross sexual assault, gross sexual misconduct, sexual abuse of a minor (four counts) and unlawful sexual contact.
Gifford was hiding behind a bush and wearing a ski mask when he shoved the woman down and attempted to stun her the night of Aug. 27, 2014, according to police. The woman escaped and called police.
Damariscotta police and Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies with a tracking dog searched the location of the attack and found the ski mask and part of the stun gun. Law enforcement officials then located Gifford at his home, where he allegedly confessed to the attack.
Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Liberman is representing the state. Brunswick attorney Seth Levy is representing Gifford.
A conviction could mean more prison time for Gifford beyond the sentence for his current charges because he remains on probation for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl in 2003.
He also has gross sexual misconduct convictions from 1985 and 1989, according to his indictment.