FARMINGTON — A Livermore Falls man pleaded guilty Friday to subjecting a woman to unwanted sexual contact at a workplace in Jay in 2019.

Eric Letalien Franklin County Detention Center photo

Eric Letalien, 46, pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual contact before Judge Susan Oram at a Farmington court, according to court paperwork. The conviction is punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

A more serious charge of unlawful sexual contact, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000 fine, and a charge of assault, which is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, were dismissed.

Jay police Sgt. Russell Adams investigated the incident and arrested Letalien on Feb. 26, 2019, on a warrant. Letalien was indicted on the charges in July 2019.

The sexual contact occurred in the basement of the business in January 2019. The woman sought medical treatment, according to Adams’ affidavit filed with a Farmington court.

Oram sentenced Letalien to five years, all suspended, and four years of probation, which he began serving Friday. Among  his probation conditions are completing counseling and treatment as a sexual offender to the satisfaction of a probation officer and registering under the Maine Sex Offender Registry Act.

He was also ordered to have no contact with the woman and her family.

Letalien was previously convicted in August 1996 on a charge of gross sexual assault. He was sentenced to four years in prison with all but 20 months suspended. He petitioned the state to remove him from the Sex Offender Registry in May 2012 after the law changed, and it was granted, according to Adams’ affidavit.

Defense attorneys for Letalien were not immediately available Monday.