Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Ken Hatch, who was arrested on two counts of the sexual abuse of a minor, a Class C felony, has been under investigation for about three months, according to Attorney General Janet Mills.

During an interview at a June 23 fundraiser in Boothbay Harbor for New Hope for Women, Mills was asked about the Hatch investigation, which was conducted by lead investigator, Detective Peter Lizanecz of the Maine Office of the Attorney General. She could not comment further on the ongoing investigation.

In an affidavit filed with the Wiscasset Unified Court on June 20, Lizanecz laid out his investigation, which contained allegations from the alleged victim and the victim’s parents, including that the child had been abused more than 10 times from the age of 14 to 16 by Hatch, and that the abuse occurred in the back of his police cruiser. According to the affidavit, the victim said Hatch had asked for sex many times prior to the sexual abuse commencing when the victim was 14 years old. Several alleged incidents relating to specific work situations, including a wedding detail Hatch worked at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, were recounted by the victim in interviews at the Augusta Police Department. The affidavit states that Sheriff Todd Bracket verified Hatch had worked those details. The victim was able to identify several locations where Hatch made stops during his patrol, prior to the alleged abuse.

The affidavit states that the victim said Hatch furnished marijuana to obtain cooperation, and that in many of the instances, the victim said the marijuana provided was in bags marked “evidence.” The victim was able to describe the evidence bags used by LCSO correctly, and identified an evidence bag from a sample of bags, according to the affidavit; the victim said that the marijuana had been kept in Hatch’s garage, where the victim and a friend smoked it with Hatch. Hatch was also accused of providing alcohol, money and cigarettes to the victim.

The affidavit states that, according to the victim, molestation by Hatch also occurred when the victim was much younger. This allegation is not part of the charges, but is part of Lizanecz’s affidavit, as are other details the Wiscasset Newspaper has not disclosed, in order to protect the privacy of the victim and the victim’s family.

Lizanecz arrested Hatch at Two Bridges Regional Jail. Hatch was listed as being uncooperative at his arrest, but no force was used during the arrest. He was subsequently freed on $50,000 unsecured bond.

Hatch is expected to appear in court on Aug. 25. It is not known if has retained an attorney; the court records do not reflect an attorney on the case.

The investigation is continuing. Hatch is on administrative leave pending the full results of the Attorney General’s investigation.