FARMINGTON — A Franklin County grand jury Tuesday indicted a Wilton man accused of sexually abusing girls under age 16 between Feb. 1, 2011, and Feb. 1, 2012.

Peter Essman, 64, was indicted on two felony counts of unlawful sexual contact and three misdemeanor charges of unlawful sexual touching.

Wilton police had received a referral from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in late January and launched an investigation, police Chief Heidi Wilcox previously said.

Sgt. Chad Abbott conducted multiple interviews, she said. Representatives of Androscoggin Child Advocacy Center interviewed the girls, who are not from the area, she had said.

Essman was initially arrested on a felony charge of unlawful sexual contact.

A conviction on each of the felony charges is punishable by up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

dperry@sunjournal.com