BATH, Maine — Maine State Police Trooper Gregory Vrooman was convicted Friday of 12 sex crimes against a girl less than 14 years old.
The reading of the verdicts was moved from Lincoln County Superior Court in Wiscasset to Sagadahoc Superior Court in Bath following the physical assault against him on Thursday that halted court proceedings moments before the jury was to enter the courtroom to render its verdict.
Vrooman, a 24-year veteran of the Maine State Police who has been on unpaid administrative leave since his arrest in November 2010, was convicted of four counts of unlawful sexual touching, four counts of unlawful sexual contact and four counts of assault.
The jury acquitted Vrooman on the count of tampering with a witness, according to a source in the court clerk’s office who confirmed the verdicts just before the office closed on Friday. The source did not want to be identified because she had received the verdicts in an email but had not yet seen official court documentation. A Friday afternoon report by the Lincoln County News corroborated the information about Vrooman’s convictions.
Vrooman, 46, of Nobleboro was read the jury’s verdicts Friday afternoon in the Bath courtroom. The trial ground to a halt Thursday morning just before the jury was going to announce its verdict when Vrooman was assaulted by a family member of his victim in the courtroom of Lincoln County Superior Court in Wiscasset.
Vrooman was hospitalized with injuries to his face and the alleged assailant, William Harrison, 39, of Charlestown, Mass., was arrested and charged with assault. Harrison was released on $5,000 bail from Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset late Thursday.
Lincoln County District Attorney Geoffrey Rushlau had said earlier Friday it would be up to the court to decide whether Thursday’s altercation could interrupt the legal process.
“That’s a decision for a trial judge,” he said. “It potentially gives the defendant another avenue for appeal, but I can’t personally see that that would be successful. [The assault] certainly did disrupt the ordinary course of a jury trial.”
Neither Rushlau nor the prosecutor in the case, Assistant District Attorney Deborah Cashman, could be reached Friday afternoon for comment. Steven Peterson, Vrooman’s defense attorney, also could not be reached on Friday.
Vrooman’s assaults on the girl occurred between December 2009 and November 2010. He faces up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine for each of the unlawful sexual contact charges, which are Class C crimes. Each count of assault and unlawful sexual touching, which are Class D crimes under Maine law, is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
Gee, could this conviction affect his pension?
No. The new law probably wouldn’t have applied to him because it only kicks in for on the job criminal acts. Even if it did, the law will not go into effect until 90 days after the end of the legislative session and this slimeball will be grandfathered so the law will not apply to him.
Perhaps a civil action would ensure he never gets to keep a nickel of it.
He’s probably not eligible. I think troopers have to work 25 years to retire. He only had 24 in. He deserves what he’ll get…nothing.
In the State system you are vested at ten years (get something at age sixty five) and you can take early (for less money) at 20.
you only need 20 years to retire from state service. but he was still on the job when he did this crime so he will lose his pension and will get a taste of his action in prison
the guy running the maine state turnpike authority didn’t lose his pension…
I beg to differ!!! He will get SOME THING!!!
Calm down. I said “I think”. I would advocate for him receiving zilch.
easy does it old boy. Your trooper will have a thorough understanding of sexual touching his first couple days inside, provided he doesn’t blow his brains out first Subject: [bdn] Re: Longtime state trooper convicted of 12 sex crimes in Bath courtroom
The sick b@&**&% isn’t my trooper. He deserves what he gets, except his pension. I think you and i are in agreement on this story.
10-4Subject: [bdn] Re: Longtime state trooper convicted of 12 sex crimes in Bath courtroom
Did Lepage, sign that into law before the conviction? one can hope.
Headline makes it sound like he commited sex crimes in a Bath court room
You beat me to it.
Read it too fast and your mind might think “court bathroom”.
Exactly what I thought too!
Couldn’t stop laughing!
sex crimes in a bath courtroom???
better than a court bathroom
hah!
Now that is some funny stuff right there…I really did LOL
some would have that enshrined as a right, not a crime
He’ll get a slap on the wrist, a few months at Skinner Harbor, then off to you-and-I land.
cops have to much authority, they will just slap his hand
Ridiculous statement. As a cop he will be held to a higher standard by the court, as he should be. He’ll go to prison and be beaten regularly. Prisoners hate child molesters and cops. He’s both, so unless they put him in some sort of protective custody setting, he’ll have a bad time of it.
Not a rediculous statement! Where’s your head?
I am not going to take the time to list all of the misjustices that come to mind, but here are a few…..Penobscot Sheriff informing a molester friend that he is being investigated. Result: Suicide, unfounded details, law suits. Sheriff remains as Sheriff with no repercussions.
Head of training at the Maine Justice Adademy found guilty of OUI…demoted but is still a trooper. Numerous allegations over the years of spousal abuse and most are swept under rug. It goes on and on. It is a very corrupt fraternity that flies ubove the law and must be fixed. The only words in your statement that are credible are; “held to a higher standard” and it is far from reality in this and most states.
The sheriff was wrong but not criminally, the OUI trooper should have been fired, allegations of spousal abuse aren’t convictions. I said they should be held to a higher standard. That doesn’t mean every time they’re accused of something they should automatically assumed guilty. This guy is guilty and time will tell which one of us is right about the penalty. I say he’ll see serious prison time, probably more than a civilian offender would. Let’s wait and see.
So my words, “He’ll go to prison and be beaten regularly. Prisoners hate child molesters and cops. He’s both, so unless they put him in some sort of protective custody setting, he’ll have a bad time of it.” aren’t credible? I’d like you to list a few more of your “misjustices” where a cop was convicted and got off easier than a civilian. Even the one that was caught for OUI probably wouldn’t have been demoted in a different job. I think he should have been fired, but even he was held to “a higher standard”. So list some real facts, not just allegations that were “swept under the rug”. Frankly, I don’t find your comment to be very credible.
good he deserves to have a bad time
Remember when Trouper Foss got less than 30 days. I think times have changed in the last 20 years.
His time in prison (which I hope is a considerable amount) will not be easy time, let’s just say that he will be everyone’s friend.
They will place him in protective custody because of his classification.
I wouldn’t count on that.
Yes, they will.
While you might have this crazy assumption that prison is a free for all it is not. I have no clue why people such as you always think a so called Bubba is going to rape him or make him pay for his crime with his life when in truth, that is not how it will work.
He will not be placed into general population. That is a fact.
there are so many pedophiles in prison now they are in general population and with 1 guard for a pod of 65 inmates, rapes happen more often than you would think. I personally know guards that work there and this is what I have been told, first hand. They have programs in place to try and stop it but it does happen. More than likely they will send him out of state, where he didn’t help incarcerate a good percentage of the population inside
Bummer, Dude.
Good riddance. Hope he does long, hard time.
I hope that self righteous b^*&%d get his reward in prison,to think how many kid didlers he put away while he was doing the same thing
When Gregory Vrooman is incarcerated he should be put in the general population
of the prison…Vrooman’s fellow inmates will handle his punishment…Life
expediency is not very long for a child molester…
Or a cop…;->
Since we now know that he’s guilty, I’m glad that other guy decked him.
Very nice of you to promote violence.
So did the trooper act alone? You’ll remember when the Old Town policeman was fingered a few years ago, it was as part of an alleged child sex ring involving many other people in law enforcement and elected offices.
Cover up and corruption, pick a badge number.
Please do not make MR. Harrington out as a BAD GUY. I happen to know the ring leader of the Lawrence case . He bragged about accusing innocent people into the case to get off easier himself. I blame MR. Almy and Mr. Roberts for that mess. Refusing to prosecute any case the “Old Town cop brought to them afterwards. I do believe we have cover up and corruption . Just not the Oldtown cop.
I think that cost Old Town a lot of money, because I think the cop sued them and won. I also recall Almy being exempt from civil liability, so the town and/or it’s insurer paid everything.
Was but Almy And Mr. Roberts refused to prosecute any case the cop brought to him. He was wrongly accused and they still tried to ruin him . Maybe he did get a settlement . But a reputation that followed him after was just wrong. How many guilty people did they let go out of politics. I am no fan of the court system.
Lawrence Case Is the biggest child molestation case in Maines history. Please get the facts strait about it. I never thought i would be defending cops lol.
So where does one find the ‘facts’?
Well that is a hard question. I used to live in Lagrange. Small town and 4 members for the Lawrence case happened to live in town . 2 still do including the ring leader Donnie. I do not know if a person can find the FACTS . Old BDN list will tell you some things. First hand information from ring leader Donnies mouth supported by 2 others involved was the old town cop part was made up to deflect from the case. Can I prove it maybe not. Anyway from the people involved bragging about the mess they created do not underestimate peoples ability to twist the facts and involve innocent people. They may not be very educated but knew how to work the system. This is a public forum and people do not always want to hear the truth on here. I guess we should choice are battles wisely. A lot of corruption went on in that case. Also a lot of innocent people lives got ruined including a few people in law enforcement. You have many valid points for corruption. Ralph Greenleaf case seems to come to mind to me.
Who writes these headlines: “Longtime state trooper convicted of 12 sex crimes in Bath courtroom”? This headline actually implies that the crimes were committed in the Bath courtroom. Should say: “….trooper convicted in Bath courtroom of 12 sex crimes.”
Where is the editor on blatant errors like this?
He’ll probably become really close friends with some of his clients.
im tired of bdn censoring me….i hope he will be safe in prison…………….not
“Vrooman was hospitalized with injuries to his face ” Nice work Mr. Harrison. Be sure to go to trial and not plead, you’ll get acquitted
headline should read ‘statetrooper convicted in bath courtroom for 12 sex crimes’. geesh….who’s the editor?