BELFAST — A Monroe man was sentenced to 15 years in prison with all but eight years suspended in Waldo County Unified Court June 24, after being convicted of two counts of gross sexual assault, stemming from a 2014 incident that involved two elementary school age children. 

Blair Demerchant Jr., 37, was charged with a total of eight counts following the crime, which took place in a camper parked on private property Jan. 1, 2014, according to court documents. Those charges include four counts of gross sexual assault, two counts of unlawful sexual contact, two counts of visual aggression against a child. Demerchant had six counts against him dismissed, with only two counts of gross sexual assault resulting in conviction.

In addition to spending eight years in prison, Dermerchant will serve four years of probation.

Demerchant, who was 29 at the time of his crimes, was arrested May 14, 2021, after guardians for the victims reported the incident to the Waldo County Sheriff’s Department May 9. The guardians stated that three months prior, their child and another juvenile had reported being touched inappropriately by Demerchant, an adult who was known to both victims. 

When confronted by the guardians of both victims, Demerchant reportedly admitted the incident took place.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com