Grand jury in Machias indicts 25

MACHIAS – A man charged with manslaughter in the death of his 2-year-old stepson earlier this month was among 25 people indicted Friday by a grand jury in Washington County Superior Court.

William Bryson, 22, of East Machias is suspected of acting negligently in the March 1 death of Damon Nason, his wife’s son.

Bryson was arrested on March 7 and first appeared in court March 10. Court documents associated with the case have been sealed at a judge’s request, but family members of Bryson’s have said the boy was injured from slipping in the bathtub.

Also indicted on Friday were four men suspected of attacking two Indian Township youths last August, a case that also is being investigated as a potential hate crime by the state Attorney General’s Office.

Nicholas D. James, 18, David W. Townsend, 22, Adam J. Casey, 24, and Sean M. MacArthur, 20, all of Baileyville, each have been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of criminal threatening and disorderly conduct.

A civil complaint filed last month seeks an injunction prohibiting the five from having contact with the victims and from engaging in any future violations of the Maine Civil Rights Act.

The civil complaint also names Corey Townsend, 17, of Baileyville, who apparently was involved but was not indicted on criminal charges.

David Townsend also was indicted Friday in a separate case of three counts of aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs, violation of conditions of release.

A full list of indictments handed up Friday by the Washington County grand jury may be found at www.bangornews.com.

erussell@bangordailynews.net

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