Editor’s note: The below has been edited to remove disturbing descriptions of sexual assault. 

LEWISTON — A Minot man characterized as a “serial child molester” by prosecutors is facing charges of sexually assaulting two girls and possibly more charges involving more girls.

Ralph Leach Androscoggin County Jail

Ralph Leach, 65, was in court last week after he was arrested on two warrants, Assistant District Attorney Andrew Matulis told a judge Friday.

Leach is charged with gross sexual assault, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and unlawful sexual contact, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, stemming from an incident on Feb. 21, Matulis said.

A young girl told an adult that Leach had sexually abused her. When the adult confronted Leach, he admitted abusing the girl.

The next day, Leach told his son he had molested the girl, Matulis said. Leach confessed to authorities at the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office in Auburn.

A couple of days after the incident, Leach had asked his son to give his guns back to him.

In a second warrant, Leach is charged with unlawful sexual contact with a 3-year-old girl in the spring of 2020 and again Feb. 14, when the girl was 4 years old.

Leach admitted to the contact, Matulis said.

“It happened a couple different times,” Matulis said.

As authorities continued interviewing Leach, he confessed to having sexually assaulted several different children, Matulis said.

Leach said he’d molested one girl on three occasions and another girl, twice.

He also said he’d touched a different girl inappropriately.

“He says that went on for about a year and it included sexual abuse while she was sleeping,” Matulis said.

During an interview with authorities, Leach had referenced other possible victims, Matulis said.

In arguing for high cash bail, Matulis had called Leach a “serial child molester.”

A judge in 8th District Court set bail Friday at $200,000 cash or $50,000 cash with supervised release, saying Leach posed a significant danger to the public, especially to children.

If he is freed from Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn, Leach must remain on house arrest, have no contact with anyone younger than 18, and he may not have any firearms, a condition requested by Matulis, who said there were concerns Leach might try to harm himself.

The judge also prohibited Leach from having any contact with the mother of one of the victims.