ALFRED — A jury at York County Superior Court on Friday acquitted a Sanford man of a gross sexual assault charge involving a 16-year-old girl who was having a sleepover with his teenage daughter in 2014.

Despite an ending in that case, all is not over for Zachary Garrison as he has more charges ahead of him.

Last month, a York County Grand Jury handed up a three-count indictment against Garrison, charging him with Class B felony gross sexual assault, Class B felony unlawful sexual contact and the Class D misdemeanor crime of furnishing alcohol to a minor. Those charges are in connection with alleged offenses that took place four years ago – from July 12 through Aug. 31, 2011 in Waterboro, according to the indictment.

In the case that ended Friday, Garrison was released from custody following the jury’s ruling in the Sanford case, which came at about 10 a.m. after several hours of deliberation over three days.

Defense attorney Amy Fairfield said her client was “elated” at the jury’s finding in this case and pointed out he spent 17 months in jail, awaiting trial.

Following the acquittal, Fairfield said the state was well represented in the case by prosecutors Tom Miscio and Kate Bozeman. Miscio was unavailable for contact

However, noted Fairfield, “The alleged victim could not keep her story straight.”

During the trial, Fairfield pointed to inconsistent statements she said the victim made to police, medical personnel and during a June hearing.

The evening the alleged assault took place, March 30, 2014, began with alcoholfueled games of hide and seek and truth or dare, where Garrison is alleged to have supplied rum and Coke. The victim was in a closet when, she alleged, Garrison came in and started rubbing up against her. She said she told him he was a grown man and that what he was doing was gross. Later, he allegedly pushed her on the bed and sexually assaulted her. When she screamed, he allegedly told her to be quiet, because his children were asleep in an adjoining bedroom. The girl fled to her friend’s room, where she spent the rest of the night – too afraid, she said, to notify authorities.

At the time of his initial arrest on the Sanford charge, Sanford Police said Garrison had been investigated for similar alleged behavior in the past.

An arraignment date in connection with the new indictment has not been set. An indictment is a finding that enough evidence exists to prosecute.

Class B crimes carry a maximum penalty of 10 years, while a Class C felony carries a maximum prison term of five years.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].