AUGUSTA — The former facilities director of Bread of Life Ministries was indicted on sexual assault charges by a Kennebec County grand jury.
Jeffrey A. Tyler
Jeffrey A. Tyler, 47, of Augusta, was indicted on two counts of gross sexual assault and one count of sexual abuse of a minor, each involving the same victim, by the grand jury Thursday.
Tyler, formerly of Winthrop, was arrested by police in September, based on allegations made by the victim to police in June 2018, who told police she and Tyler “became sexually involved” when she was 14 years old.
The victim told police that the two emailed each other since she was 12 and sent nude pictures to each other when she was 15. The affidavit said the two met in public places before the alleged rapes. Tyler reportedly told the victim not to tell anyone about their relationship. The victim said she would meet Tyler, the former facilities director for the Bread of Life Ministries, which has a homeless shelter, a soup kitchen and housing, in his Augusta office. She said she received a key to the office when she was a freshman in college.
The victim told police that in 2018 Tyler allegedly raped her in a State Street office after she said she did not want to remove her pants. She told police she was “scared when this was going on.” That same year, the victim reported that Tyler had allegedly visited her at work and raped her again after she said she did not want to have sex with him.
The indictment on the sexual abuse of a minor count states Tyler, in August 2012 and again in August 2014, “engaged in a sexual act” with the victim who was 14 or 15 years old at the time.
The two counts of gross sexual assault, or rape, took place in 2018, in China, involving the same victim when she was an adult, according to the indictment. One count alleges the victim submitted as a result of compulsion, while the other count alleges the victim in that incident had not acquiesced to the sexual act.
Tyler is no longer employed by Bread of Life Ministries, though Executive Director John Richardson declined to provide details of when and how Tyler left the nonprofit organization’s employ. Instead he provided a statement which read “Bread of Life Ministries was shocked and saddened to learn of these allegations relating to our former employee. We are deeply concerned, though we do not believe there was ever any threat to our client or the general public. As a committed member of this community, we have cooperated with law enforcement and will continue to do so.”
An indictment is not a determination of guilt, but it indicates that there is enough evidence to proceed with formal charges and a trial.
Also indicted by the grand jury were a father and son from LaGrange who, according to a news release from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, were arrested in Waterville on July 22 after police stopped them on Interstate 95 and, in a search of their truck, found more than 400 of the 30 milligram-size Oxycodone tablets. Police said they were worth more than $15,000.
Lloyd MacFarlane Jr., 25, and Lloyd MacFarlane Sr., 55, were indicted on identical charges of two counts of aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs, Oxycodone, and both face forfeiture of just under $30,000 in cash police described as likely proceeds from drug sales, and 11 firearms seized from their home. The cash and guns were found at their LaGrange home.
Other indictments released Friday by the grand jury include:
• Marcus T. Allen, 42, of Oakland, operating after revocation, Aug. 29 in Belgrade
• John P. Cella, 54, of Augusta, burglary and theft by unauthorized taking, Aug. 24 in Augusta
• Devon Duncan, 34, transient, aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs, cocaine base, May 9 in Winslow, and criminal forfeiture of $901
• Anthony J. Englesbobb, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, cocaine base, and two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, Sept. 28 in Winslow
• Michael L. Fortin, 38, of Waterville, theft by unauthorized taking, Aug. 7 in Augusta
• April L. Frith, 32, of Mount Vernon, trafficking in prison contraband, Nov. 10 in Augusta, and domestic violence assault, Nov. 10 in Augusta
• Donald E. Jayne III, 31, of Mount Vernon, theft by deception, Jan. 12 in Winthrop, forgery Dec. 26, 2018 and Jan. 13, in Winthrop, Augusta and/or Gardiner, theft by unauthorized taking, between Dec. 26, 2018 and Jan. 13, in Winthrop, Augusta and/or Gardiner, and theft by deception, Dec. 23 in Winthrop
• Yoel Joaquin-Peguero, 28, of Lewiston, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs and violation of condition of release, Sept. 11 in Waterville
• Nason C.S. Lanphier, 23, of Waterville, burglary, theft by unauthorized taking, forgery, attempted theft and theft by unauthorized taking, July 17 in Waterville
• Alexander K. Lewis, 19, of Farmingdale, domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, Sept. 25 in Farmingdale
• Jeffrey Alan Lucas, 32, of Augusta, theft by deception July 18 in Augusta
• Katelynn M. McLaughlin, 26, of Readfield, theft by unauthorized taking on or between Feb. 18 and March 22, in Augusta
• Jeremiah W. O’Leary, 21, of Augusta, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, heroin, June 11 in Augusta and aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, cocaine base, June 11 in Augusta
• Frank N. Pelletier, 59, of Benton, assault with a dangerous weapon, July 18 in Waterville
• Laura Stephanie Perkins, 37, of Winthrop, theft by unauthorized taking, and violation of condition of release, Aug. 13 in Augusta, and trafficking in prison contraband, July 21 in Augusta
• Linwood M. Perkins, 59, of Winthrop, theft by unauthorized taking, Aug. 13 in Augusta
• Christopher L. Regoja, 41, of Portland, operating after revocation and unauthorized use of property, Sept. 16 in Monmouth
• David Allen Sargent, 46, of Rome, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, cocaine, aggravated trafficking in scheduled drugs, fentanyl, and unlawful possession of scheduled drugs, suboxone, Sept. 7 in Waterville
• Anthony N. Spencer, 23, of Waterville, two counts of assault on an officer, July 14 in Augusta
• Jason Daniel Trial, 35, of Fairfield, burglary, theft and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, July 28 in Augusta
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