(Left-Right) Andrea Stevens, Christopher Pelkey, Ashley Alaimo and Persis Smith.
One woman accused him of beating her so badly that her pelvic bone was broken, leaving her disabled. Another said he choked her until she couldn’t breathe.
In both cases, Christopher Pelkey, 35, was charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated assault — a crime that carries a maximum prison term of 10 years in Maine, where the alleged attacks occurred. In both cases, Pelkey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor crimes and was sentenced to little jail time, court records show.
Now Pelkey is headed back to court, accused by another woman who said he choked her, assaulted her son and threatened to kill them both with a hammer, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC News.
“He almost killed me,” said Andrea Stevens, who has not previously spoken out about the charges, which include aggravated assault, domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence assault. “He really needs to serve his time for what he’s done.”
The cases highlight the challenges prosecutors face in litigating crimes that are often hidden from public view — and the grim reality some abuse survivors still endure.
Prosecutors expect to learn Thursday whether Stevens’ case will go to trial. Chelsea Lynds, the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, said she made Pelkey an offer of three years in prison to plead guilty to one felony but withdrew it after he balked. Pelkey has been held in lieu of $10,000 bail at the Penobscot County Jail, Lynds said. He hasn’t entered a plea. Pelkey's lawyer didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com
