RUMFORD — A registered sex offender was arrested Thursday afternoon by Rumford Police on allegations of repeated sexual abuse of a child under 12 and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.
Christopher Lee Sheldon, 39, of Rumford, faces two counts of Gross Sexual Assault, a Class A felony, and one count of Failure To Comply With Registration Requirements, a Class C felony.
The charges stem from numerous reported sexual acts against a female child under the age of 12 and 14 since spring.
Detective Sergeant George Cayer launched the investigation last month after a juvenile victim and witnesses reported the ongoing abuse, which is believed to have lasted over a year.
Initially, Sheldon was charged with one count of each charge, but additional counts may be added pending further evaluation by the prosecuting attorney.
If convicted, Sheldon could serve up to 30 years in prison for one of the Gross Sexual Assault charges.
He is a lifetime registrant of the Maine Sex Offender Registry due to prior convictions for unlawful sexual contact and sexual abuse of minors.
Following his arrest, Sheldon was processed at the Rumford Police Department and held without bail at the Oxford County Jail.
The Maine Sex Offender Registry, managed by the Maine Department of Public Safety, provides public access to information on individuals convicted of sex offenses to enhance community safety and prevent future crimes.
