Child rapist arrested in Lewiston > Publicity deterred convict from moving to Bradley

A convicted child rapist whose intention to move to Bradley sparked a spirited debate about a new sex offender notification law was arrested Monday, three days after his release from prison.

Law enforcement authorities were notified Monday afternoon that 47-year-old Michael Groves had violated the terms of his probation. Groves failed to notify corrections officials when he decided not to move to Bradley, according to probation officer Steven Onacki.

In a brief conversation with his probation officer Monday, Groves indicated “in an indirect way” that the publicity surrounding his release affected his decision to stay out of Bradley. The Bangor Daily News and local television stations reported last week that Groves intended to reside in the Penobscot County town of 1,100.

“I’m not totally shocked that somebody who has this kind of publicity placed upon them might not want to move into a community,” Onacki said. “But this is going to happen everywhere. These guys do have to live somewhere.”

Police found Groves on Monday afternoon outside an assistant district attorney’s office at 8th District Court in Lewiston. Lt. Peter McGray of the Lewiston Police Department said he did not know why Groves was at the courthouse.

As of Monday evening, Groves was in Androscoggin County Jail awaiting a transfer to Cumberland County, where he was convicted of raping a 9-year-old Portland girl in 1996. He now faces up to eight years in prison — the suspended portion of his sentence — for the probation violation. He already served two years for the rape.

Groves was considered to be the first major test case in Penobscot County’s application of the sex offender notification law. Passed in 1996, the law directs the state to notify local law enforcement agencies about violators convicted of gross sexual assault who move into their communities.

Onacki said this was the first time in Penobscot County that notification went beyond “the bare minimum.”

When the news of Groves’ release from the Downeast Correctional Facility in Bucks Harbor was heard, a committee comprising sheriff’s deputies, town officials and educators met to formulate a response. Letters went home with pupils of the Viola Rand School informing parents that a sex offender would be moving into their community. Authorities made sure news of Groves’ release reached the media.

Groves was offered a place to stay in Bradley with Helen Pajama, who has befriended prisoners as part of a humanitarian effort. Onacki said he contacted Pajama over the weekened but declined to give details of their conversation.

Pajama could not be reached for comment Monday.

Residents and town officials heaved a collective sigh of relief Monday, although some warned that the issue of notification will not go away.

“We took an aggressive action, and he decided not to come here,” said Toni Meservey, a Milford activist who seeks tougher laws regarding sex offenders.

“If he’s not in my town, of course that’s a relief,” said Bradley Town Manager William Post.

Post said that despite Groves’ arrest, a scheduled town meeting at the Viola Rand School on Tuesday night will be held as planned. He said he wants parents to be informed about the new law and the options available to them.

“It’s going to happen again,” Post said. “It could be next week. It could be 10 years down the road. We need to be prepared.”