LEWISTON – Mayor Lionel Guay’s challenger in next week’s election said he won’t pass judgment on Guay, who’s facing criminal charges for allegedly groping a young woman.

Charles Soule, who is running for mayor of Maine’s second largest city for the fifth time, has been in trouble with the law himself for soliciting a prostitute.

“I can’t say whether he’s guilty or not, and I really can’t pass judgment because I have a past, too,” Soule told WCSH-TV.

Soule was convicted of soliciting a prostitute in 1987, an offense he calls a mistake of youth.

Meanwhile, Guay’s lawyer has asserted the state sped up the filing of criminal charges against Guay to dodge criticism that it kept the matter under wraps until after the election.

“We had all the information we needed to support the charges so they were filed just as we do in any case,” said Chuck Dow, spokesman for the attorney general’s office.

Guay attorney Jennifer Ferguson said the 64-year-old mayor was preparing to provide evidence of the victim’s past “dishonesty” when he was charged Wednesday.

Guay, who’s seeking re-election to a second, two-year term, was charged Tuesday with three counts of unlawful sexual touching and four counts of assault.

Guay is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on the charges on Nov. 16, but Ferguson said the appearance will be waived.