PORTLAND, Maine — A Biddeford man accused of taking his girlfriend to New Hampshire to work as a prostitute was arraigned Tuesday in U.S. District Court.
Leo Grondin, 48, pleaded not guilty to one count of transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent that she engage in prostitution.
He was indicted July 19 by a federal grand jury after being taken into custody two days earlier at a Dover, New Hampshire, motel.
He is being held without bail.
Grondin came to the attention of authorities when the daughter of his girlfriend went to Biddeford police to report that she suspected Grondin had forced her mother, a woman in her late 50s, into prostitution, according to court documents.
Grondin and his girlfriend had a written contract that said neither would work without the other, according to the affidavit, filed last month in federal court in Portland
The daughter of Grondin’s girlfriend reported to Biddeford police on July 9 that she found “email conversations regarding prostitution, websites for escort services, and ads promising ‘in home specials for prostitution’ that included [the mother’s] and Grondin’s home address,” the affidavit said.
The woman said she discovered the information when her mother asked for her help installing a new application on her cellphone.
The alleged victim said that Grondin kept all the money she was paid and used her personal information to obtain loans in her name, the affidavit said. She also told police that Grondin became physically abusive when she refused to engage in prostitution.
If convicted, Grondin faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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.