FARMINGTON — A judge sentenced a 76-year-old New Sharon man Tuesday to serve four years of an eight-year sentence for sexually molesting a girl from age 4 to 10 at his farm in Chesterville.
A Franklin County jury found retired farmer Raymond Buck guilty of felony unlawful sexual contact Feb. 16 after a nearly two-day trial.
Justice Jennifer Archer said Buck will be on probation for seven years after he serves his sentence, must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and must not have contact with the victim and any child under age 18.
His attorney, Walter McKee, of McKee Morgan Attorneys in Augusta told the court he plans to appeal the case to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
The victim, who is 21, said during the trial that she told her mother what had happened a year or so after their last visit to the farm in 2011 or 2012, and her mother called Buck’s wife and told her what her daughter said. Raymond Buck denied it.
Assistant District Attorney James Andrews asked that Buck serve six years of a nine-year sentence.
McKee asked that he serve just 60 days of a five-year sentence, followed by probation.
Andrews said Buck violated the girl’s trust and groomed her from a very young age. The sexual abuse could have potential long-term effects on her, he said.
“These impacts are real,” he said.
After the jury’s verdict, the victim “described Mr. Buck as a monster,” Andrews said. “I think it is difficult to see that (in court) but she is clearly justified.”
She attempted suicide as a young adult and had nightmares over the situation before she decided to tell police, she told the court previously.
She was not in attendance Tuesday but listened on Zoom.
The young woman testified in February that Buck touched her vagina over and under her pants, and he had her touch his penis over and under his pants while he was alone with her at his Chesterville farm.
The young woman testified at trial that she spent a lot of time alone with Buck — in his office sitting on his lap when she was 5 and whenever she was there, which was roughly five visits through the years. He also gave her rides on a tractor and an ATV into private areas of his property.
“He made me feel special,” more special than her brothers, she said. She said she didn’t realize until she was older that she was getting her first sexual experience.
McKee said Buck grew up in the Livermore/Livermore Falls area, was an Eagle Scout and a top student in high school. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy. He was “highly intelligent, dedicated and disciplined.”
He did top-secret work in his job. After serving nearly 10 years in the military, he attended and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1980, and went to work in electronics. Buck and his wife, Linda, moved back to Maine after working in different states. They raised Angus cows and sold them.
Buck has no criminal record, McKee said, adding he was a “hard worker” all of his life until his health condition wouldn’t let him. He has several medical conditions related to his lungs and heart, uses oxygen now and has trouble moving, McKee said.
Character letters submitted on behalf of Buck, described him a modest man, gentle and kind, McKee said.
Jeff Harris, a dairy farmer in New Sharon, said he has known Buck for 20 years, was helpful to him, gave him farming advice and lent him farming equipment when he needed it.
“Ray never helped the next person for his own benefit,” Harris said. “He referred to Buck as an “honest” person.
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