Suspect was out on two domestic violence bails at time of alleged rape

Richard J.Crispin (York County Jail photo)

ALFRED, Maine - The victim in a 2019 rape that led to years of sexual abuse was just 13 when a North Berwick man nearly 6-feet tall and 220 pounds grabbed her by the arm, twisted her around and raped her from behind, according to a North Berwick Police Officer's affidavit filed last April.

The victim, according to the affidavit filed by North Berwick Police Lt. Daniel Pelkey, had said no multiple times to sexual advances made toward her by Richard J. Crispin, 25, formerly of Coffin Road in North Berwick.

A copy of the affidavit obtained by The Rochester Voice lists two gross sex assault charges for sexual activity he is alleged to have had with the girl when she was 13 and 10 sex assault charges after she had turned 14.

Crispin, a military veteran employed at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with "Secret Clearance," was under two sets of bail conditions for domestic violence at the time of the alleged rape in Spring 2019.

The crimes crossed state lines, according to Strafford County (NH) Deputy Attorney Emily Garod, who said some of the alleged offenses occurred in Somersworth and Rochester.

In all, some 38 indictments were filed against Crispin by a Strafford County grand jury in February.

Among them are three indictments that allege he engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse against the victim over a period of time. Each of those counts carry a 10-30 year prison term.

Crispin in also charged in New Hampshire with 11 counts of manufacturing child sex abuse images between July 2019 and March 2021 "in that he did knowing direct a visual representation of (victim) in sexually explicit conduct."
That conduct is alleged to have included stills and videos showing her genitals, and performing various sex acts on him or herself.
Each of those counts carry a prison sentence of from 15-30 years.

No affidavits were filed with the criminal complaints in New Hampshire, so there is no information available about the nature of the incidents in Somersworth and Rochester.

According to the Berwick Police affidavit, the investigation began after a Somersworth Schools resource officer learned on April 6, 2021, of a "disclosure about multiple sexual assaults." Crispin was arrested the next day and remains at York County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Crispin's address is listed as Salmon Falls Estates on the Strafford County indictments.

Garod has said it is unclear where Crispin will be prosecuted first, but it looks like it may be Maine.

There will be an attorneys-only hearing at York Superior Court in Alfred on April 21.