Camp counselor faces charges of sexual assault on two teens

KENNEBUNK – A 21-year-old counselor at a town-run summer day camp has been charged with sexually assaulting two teenage girls at the camp.

Thomas Swan of Lyman was charged late last week with unlawful sexual contact of a minor, unlawful sexual touching of a minor and criminal threatening. An arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 1 in Biddeford District Court.

Swan was arrested after the parents of one of the girls complained, said Police Chief Mathew Baker. The girls are 13 and 14. Officials said Swan is accused of threatening the girls if they told what had happened.

A telephone message was left Tuesday at Swan’s home in Lyman.

Swan had been a counselor for three years at Teen X-treme, an eight-week program at the Middle School of the Kennebunks for children in seventh through ninth grades.

Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said town officials met throughout the weekend and decided to hand out a news release about the arrest to parents dropping off their children at the camp Monday morning. Crisis counselors also met with campers.

“We’ve never had any incident like this happen in the history of the program,” Tibbetts said. He said as of Monday afternoon, no children had been taken out of the camp programs.

People who apply to be counselors in the program are subject to a background check that is run through the Maine State Police. The camp’s staff is hired by the recreation department.

According to officials, Swan has no criminal record.

“We’re very meticulous about it,” Tibbetts said. “If someone has a criminal record, we don’t hire them.”

Baker said the town has good policies in place to screen applicants.

“The record speaks for itself,” he said. “This is an isolated incident.”