BELFAST — A Unity man was sentenced to four years in prison with all but nine months suspended in Waldo County Unified Court Jan.17 for a gross sexual assault committed in Belfast Oct.1.

Robert McKinney, Jr., 23, was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a then-13-year-old girl.

The initial alleged sexual contact reportedly occurred at the Belfast City Park sometime in October, according to court documents.

After the initial encounter in the park, McKinney, Jr., had at least one other sexual encounter. After learning the girl was pregnant, McKinney Jr. reportedly became distraught.

According to court documents McKinney Jr. admitted to both sexual contact with the girl and to knowing she was 13.

McKinney’s stepmother told law enforcement the two had been “hanging out together,” but that she had been unaware of the sexual aspect of their relationship. She reportedly tried to tell McKinney, Jr., that a 23-year-old hanging out with a 13-year-old is a bad idea, according to an affidavit.

After serving nine months in jail, McKinney, Jr., will serve two years of probation.

He will also be a Tier II Registrant on the Maine Sex Offender Registry Act. Tier II Registrants must verify their registration information with the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction every 180 days after the initial registration date. Tier II Registrants remain on the Sex Offender Registry for 25 years.

Part of the Sex Offender Registry Act stipulates that if registrants change residences, places of employment, college or schools, they must give their new information to the Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification within three days. They must also notify the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction within 24 hours.

As part of his sentence, McKinney, Jr., will also be required to abstain from drugs and alcohol, with random testing for both, and complete counseling. He is also barred from having direct or indirect contact with children under the age of 18, including his victim. McKinney Jr.’s electronic devices will also be subject to random searching and tests.

For the duration of his two years of probation McKinney, Jr., will have a curfew between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com