If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.
A former Topsham police officer was sentenced to seven days in jail on Monday after pleading guilty to an assault charge stemming from the sexual abuse of a female student at Mt. Ararat High School in 2020.
Randy Cook, 47, of Brunswick will serve his sentence at the Cumberland County Jail, according to the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of Class D assault. In exchange for his guilty plea, a charge of unlawful sexual touching, a Class E crime, was dismissed.
Cook’s defense attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
The district attorney for Sagadahoc County, where Topsham is located, requested that the Maine State Police handle the investigation and that Cumberland County District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck handle Cook’s prosecution to avoid a conflict of interest.
After the investigation began, Cook resigned from the Topsham Police Department and voluntarily surrendered his criminal justice certification. To work as a police officer again, Cook would have to recertify.
During the plea and sentencing on Monday, the victim and her family had the opportunity to deliver a victim impact statement to the court.
Sahrbeck praised the victim and her family for coming forward.
“Coming forward and participating in an investigation is never easy, and when dealing with a perpetrator who is in a position of authority, it can be especially difficult,” he said.
Cook faced up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 on the assault charge. A Class E unlawful sexual touching charge carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.