CANTON — The District Attorney’s Office intends to file a motion Tuesday withdrawing its request to seal all records relating to a felony sex assault case against Augustus Buck, 43, of Canton.

Buck was arrested Nov. 30 on a charge of Class A gross sexual assault and a charge of violating conditions of a prior release. 

According to Lt. Thomas Harriman of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, the sexual assault was alleged to have happened on Nov. 28 at Buck’s home in the Canton Point Trailer Park at 685 Canton Point Road. The arresting officer was Cpl. George Cayer.

If convicted on the felony charge, Buck faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. 

According to Harriman, Buck had been charged in July with unlawful sexual touching of a 16-year-old girl. Conditions of his release included notification of any change of address and no new criminal activity. And, according to Harriman, Buck was arrested and charged with gross sexual assault after police received a complaint from a woman who reported being assaulted in his trailer on Nov. 28.

Buck made his first appearance in a closed session of the Rumford District Court on Wednesday, Dec. 2. At that time, a motion by the District Attorney’s Office to seal the record was approved by Judge Nancy Carlson.

When the Sun Journal asked district court clerks for information on the case, including when Buck may be scheduled to enter a plea, the newspaper was told no information would be made available about the case because the file was sealed. Asked if the court could provide a copy of the motion to seal the case — which would set forth rationale for prosecutors to ask for the seal — along with the judge’s order agreeing to the seal, the newspaper was denied access to those records.

Records in criminal cases are considered public in all but the most unusual cases, including arrest affidavits once the defendant has been arrested and the affidavit and warrant returned to the court.

Asked Monday about the unusual seal in this case, District Attorney Andrew Robinson said Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Winter filed her motion to seal the documents in Rumford District Court last Wednesday “to protect the identity of the victim.”

Robinson said Winter was “understandably concerned” about the victim, and wanted to shield her from further trauma of people knowing what had happened.

“We’re subsequently filing a motion to withdraw the motion to impound,” Robinson said, “understanding that the public has a right to know what’s happening in court versus making sure the victim isn’t identified.”

And, he said, knowing the practice of Maine media — including the Sun Journal — not to report victims of sex assault without the permission of the victim, Robinson said he’s “confident the victim won’t be identified in the media.” 

On Monday, Oxford County Jail Administrator Edward Quinn said Buck posted $2,500 cash bail Thursday, Dec. 3, and was released.

Buck has a criminal record dating back to 1991, including nine misdemeanor convictions for criminal trespass, theft, assault and trafficking in dangerous knives. In all, he spent 65 days in jail and was fined $475 for these convictions.

In 2006, he was convicted of felony operating a motor vehicle after revocation and sentenced to serve 48 hours in jail and was fined $600.

Robinson expected his office’s motion to withdraw the request to seal Buck’s record in the gross sexual assault case to be heard Tuesday in Rumford District Court.

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Managing Editor Judith Meyer and Staff Writer Matthew Daigle contributed to this report.