LEWISTON – A 19-year-old woman who said she was groped by Lewiston Mayor Lionel Guay said she’s happy she had her day in court, even if it meant his acquittal.

A jury Wednesday acquitted Guay of unlawful sexual touching and assault. His accuser, Danielle Ramon, testified that Guay on several occasions touched her breasts and buttocks and attempted to kiss her against her will.

Five days before the trial, lawyers for Guay and Ramon participated in settlement discussions ordered by Justice Ellen Gorman. Ramon says Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin asked her during the discussions whether she was willing to drop the charges of unlawful sexual touching.

Ramon declined. She said that a plea agreement would have meant a gag order, and she didn’t want that. “I wanted everyone to hear what happened to me,” she said.

Guay said after the trial that the verdict speaks for itself.

Ramon was a high school teenager when she worked for Guay’s accounting firm. She told the Sun Journal newspaper that she told her parents what had happened after they proposed that her younger sister should go to work for Guay.

She said she has no intention to pursue further action. Her mother suggested that she file a civil lawsuit, but she has no plans to do that.

Ramon said she also doesn’t want the public to think she had any motive other than to tell the truth. Guay’s attorney, Jennifer Ferguson, hinted at trial that Ramon might have been motivated by greed.

Ramon figures the verdict might reinforce the notion that Guay did nothing wrong. She believes otherwise.

“I cared for this person and he took advantage of the trust I had in him,” she said. “He hurt me.”