By Beth Brogan – August 13, 2018
TOPSHAM, Maine — A Topsham man who served as the town’s postmaster until last year has pleaded guilty to six counts of sexually assaulting a child and will be sentenced Sept. 5 in West Bath District Court.
Under terms of a plea agreement, Robert Welch, 63, pleaded guilty before Justice Dan Billings to four counts of unlawful sexual contact and two counts of gross sexual assault, according to court documents.
As part of the plea deal, Sagadahoc County District Attorney Jonathan Liberman dismissed six counts of unlawful sexual contact and eight counts of gross sexual assault.
The crimes allegedly took place in Welch’s Topsham home between October 2008 and June 2017, when the alleged victim was between 7 and 16 years old.
In August 2017, Welch pleaded not guilty to all 20 charges. Welch retired as Topsham postmaster last year. Welch will be sentenced at 2 p.m. Sept. 5 in West Bath District Court.