LEWISTON

Man who accused ex-coach of abuse reports to prison

A Maine man who said he lied when he accused former Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine of molesting him is in prison to serve a child sex-abuse sentence.

Zachary Tomaselli of Lewiston pleaded guilty to molesting a boy when the victim was 13 and 14 years old. He was sentenced to three years and three months and reported to prison Wednesday.

Tomaselli, 23, put himself into the news in November when he made accusations against Fine after two former ballboys accused Fine of molesting them.

Last week, Tomaselli announced that he was a liar who’d never even met Fine. On Wednesday, he contradicted himself again, ESPN reported.

“Yes, my credibility with the media is shot but I am not going to give up now,” Tomaselli said in a statement. “Bernie molested me. PERIOD.”

Fine, who was fired, has not been charged and has denied the abuse claims.

AUBURN

Former firefighter avoids prison in abuse of daughter

A former Lewiston firefighter who pleaded guilty to assaulting his daughter over a period of years when she was a child has avoided any time behind bars.

Donald Lagrange was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison, but the entire sentence will be spent on probation. He was also barred from having contact with his now 26-year-old daughter and her family and any girl under the age of 18, and was ordered to undergo treatment.

Lagrange, 55, pleaded guilty last week to 20 counts of misdemeanor assault. Three counts of gross sexual assault were dropped.

The Sun Journal reported that Lagrange denied harming his daughter. His lawyer said his client pleaded guilty to avoid a “harrowing” trial.

His daughter said her father sexually assaulted her from age 8 to 16.

HOULTON

Psychologist: Ormsby was delusional when he killed 3

A psychologist who examined a Maine man who killed two men and a 10-year-old boy said the defendant was delusional at the time of the killings on June 22, 2010.

Dr. Kathryn Thomas was testifying for the defense during the trial’s second phase after Thayne Ormsby was convicted of three counts of murder. Ormsby is using an insanity defense, and experts are testifying this week about his mental state at the time of the fatal stabbings in northern Maine.

Thomas testified in Houlton that Ormsby was out of touch with reality, thinking he was ridding the world of a “bad man” and somehow boosting his resume as an “assassin.”

Ormsby, 23, confessed to killing 55-year-old Jeffrey Ryan, Ryan’s 10-year-old son, Jesse, and a family friend, 30-year-old Jason Dehahn, at Ryan’s home in Amity.

WATERVILLE

Missing girl’s uncle pleads not guilty in man’s assault

The uncle of Ayla Reynolds pleaded not guilty Tuesday to assaulting another family member in a dispute about the little girl.

A judge Tuesday set a June 27 trial date for Lance DiPietro.

DiPietro is the brother of Justin DiPietro, the father of Ayla Reynolds, who was 20 months old when she was reported missing Dec. 17.

Lance DiPietro is accused of pushing Justin Linnell to the ground and kicking him on Feb. 6.

Linnell is the father of Ayla’s cousin, who lived in the same Waterville house from which the little girl disappeared.

Lance DiPietro was reportedly angry at comments Linnell had made about the case.

The Morning Sentinel reported that he faces a year in jail and a $2,000 fine if convicted.

BANGOR

Local man breaks both legs in jump from deck at park

Authorities said a Bangor man broke both his legs in a jump from an observation deck at a city park.
Police say Ryan King, 35, was standing on a concrete deck overlooking Kenduskeag Stream about 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Assistant Fire Chief Rick Cheverie told the Bangor Daily News that King apparently decided he wanted to get to a lower vantage point so he went under the railing surrounding the deck and jumped.
But instead of landing where he planned, King plunged down a steep embankment to the stream, a distance of about 12 to 15 feet. He was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center.

– From staff and news services
 

Copy the Story Link