ALFRED — A former Old Orchard Beach man indicted on a bigamy charge in New Hampshire was being held in Maine on multiple charges, including domestic violence assault.
Michael Middleton
Michael Middleton, 43, whose last known address was Old Orchard Beach, was indicted in January on a bigamy charge by a New Hampshire grand jury. He is accused of knowingly marrying a woman in New Hampshire while being married to women in Georgia and Alabama.
A warrant was issued for Middleton’s arrest when he didn’t make a Feb. 7 court appointment in Dover, New Hampshire.
He was arrested the next day in Columbus, Ohio, after someone familiar with the situation told police where he was expected to be that day. Police went to the location, where Middleton later arrived and was taken into custody without incident.
Middleton, dubbed the “Cupid of Chaos” by the Franklin County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office, was transferred from jail in Ohio to New Hampshire to make a bail hearing at Strafford Superior Court in Dover on March 8, where bail was set at $1,000.
In Maine, Middleton has been charged with domestic violence assault stemming from an alleged Nov. 7, 2014, incident in South Berwick, violation of protective order and violation of conditions of release, according to York County Superior Court documents.
Middleton was transferred to York County Jail in Alfred on Wednesday, and appeared in court on Friday through a video conference from jail. His bail was set at $50,000, according to documents at York County Superior Court. He was being held at the York County Jail Monday night.
Police investigators say Middleton was married to Katherine Lashley of Georgia and Kassandra Shipley of Alabama when he married Alicia Grant of Dover, New Hampshire, in 2013. Investigators believe there may have been a fourth wife. The Associated Press reported that Middleton eventually scammed Grant out of $20,000.
Middleton is next scheduled to appear at York County Superior Court on July 10.
He is also scheduled to appear at Hillsborough Superior Court North in Manchester, New Hampshire, on April 22 and Stafford Superior Court on April 29.
Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or at:
email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
