PORTLAND

A Cumberland County grand jury handed up an indictment last week to a Harpswell man police say assaulted his girlfriend, allegedly for the second time in less than six months.

Steven Stemp, 37, of Harpswell was indicted on a charge of domestic violence assault, punishable by up to five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt; it is a finding that sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial.

Lt. Donald Foss of the Cumberland County Sheriff ’s Department said on Aug. 17 at around 1 p.m., Stemp was arguing with his live-in girlfriend, allegedly grabbed her by the throat and shoved her against a door. He then threw a polemounted fan at her, Foss said. The woman left , dialed 911 and met a deputy down the road from her home, according to Foss, who said she was not transported for medical attention after the incident.

After the deputy finished meeting with the victim, they went to the home on Lighthouse Landing Road but found no one home. They returned at around 5 p.m. that night and found Stemp at the home, arrested him without incident and took him to Cumberland County Jail in Portland.

The Bangor Daily News reported that, on March 10, Stemp was charged with domestic violence aggravated assault after allegedly choking his girlfriend until she blacked out. In May, Stemp was found guilty of domestic violence assault for that incident and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, all but 24 hours suspended, and two years of probation.

In other indictments:

— An indictment on a charge of aggravated assault was handed up to Anthony Manganella, 31, of Brunswick, punishable by up to 10 years and a $20,000 fine.

Brunswick Deputy Police Chief Marc Hagan said the assault occurred at around 3 a.m. July 21 at a home on Miranda Street. Hagan said Manganella, who was reportedly angered by something the 44-year-old male victim had said during a conversation earlier in the day, went to the residence and punched the man several times in the face, crushing his orbital bone.

The victim was transported to Parkview Adventist Medical Center. Brunswick police arrested Manganella shortly that morning; he later posted bail at the police station.

— A business owner facing weapons and assault charges was indicted as a result of an altercation with a Freeport juvenile in Freeport on July 29.

Ryan Doherty, 46, of Brunswick, was indicted on charges of reckless conduct and criminal threatening, charges punishable by up to five years incarceration and a $5,000 fine; and assault, punishable by up to 364 days and a $2,000 fine.

Freeport police investigated an assault that occurred the night of July 29 in a driveway on Wardtown Road.

During investigation of the incident, police said they learned that Doherty, owner of North Freeport Store on Wardtown Road, had allegedly displayed a handgun and threatened the friends of a juvenile who went to the store to talk to Doherty at some point after the initial alleged assault.

dmoore@timesrecord.com

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