A Wiscasset man was sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty March 27 to assaulting a woman in Edgecomb last fall, and will serve an additional seven months for violating his bail by contacting the victim, according to court paperwork.
Michael B. Burns, 31, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, class B, and violation of condition of release, class C, according to court documents.
Burns was arrested and charged with the aggravated assault on Nov. 6 after Lincoln County Sheriff’s Detective (then Deputy) Jared Mitkus and Deputy Justin Drake responded to a domestic disturbance on Wawenock Road in Edgecomb.
According to an affidavit written by Mitkus, the victim said alleged she and Burns were arguing before he called her a name, grabbed her throat, and punched her in the face.
The woman said she lost her breath during the incident but did not lose consciousness, and it was not the first time Burns had allegedly “thumped” her, Mitkus wrote.
Burns, however, said the woman fell into the stove, Mitkus wrote.
The woman’s left eye was bleeding and had marks on her neck, and Burns had dried blood on one of his knuckles, according to the affidavit.
This spring, Burns was also indicted for tampering with a victim, class B, and violation of condition of release, class C.
According to a motion to revoke his bail in December, Burns allegedly sent a letter to the victim of the aggravated assault in November, asking her to drop the charges.
The tampering charge was dismissed because of his plea to the violation of condition of release charge, according to the court file.
Burns was sentenced to 3 years in prison with all but 9 months of the sentence suspended, followed by two years probation, for the aggravated assault. He will be subject to random searches for drugs and alcohol, and be required to complete certified batterer’s intervention and treatment for substance abuse.
For the violating condition of release charge, Burns received a seven month straight sentence.
The two sentences are to be served consecutively, according to court paperwork.
Burns’ attorney, Chris Ledwick, had no comment on the case.
