Capt. Denis Ducharme has been under investigation by local police for months.
By Mark LaFlamme
Staff Writer

AUBURN – A veteran firefighter has pleaded guilty to a charge of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy on several occasions.

Auburn fire Capt. Denis Ducharme admitted to the charge of sexual abuse of a minor and was handed a one-year jail sentence. The sentence was then suspended, meaning Ducharme will spend no time behind bars.

Ducharme has been a firefighter in Auburn for 20 years. He has been on administrative leave at the Fire Department since pleading guilty to the charge.

Auburn police have been investigating the allegations against Ducharme for months. Earlier in April, just before the Androscoggin County grand jury was scheduled to hear the case, the fire captain pleaded guilty, according to court officials.

Investigators said Ducharme had a consensual sexual relationship with the teenager. The boy has since left the area and did not want to cooperate with the prosecution of Ducharme, court officials said.

A prosecutor said the fact that the relationship was consensual was taken into consideration when a suspended sentence was imposed.

Although the sexual relationship was by agreement, Ducharme was considered guilty of sexual abuse because of the victim’s age, court officials said. It was unclear Monday how long the relationship lasted.

Auburn Fire Chief Wayne Werts said he will meet with other city officials to decide what disciplinary action will be taken against Ducharme at the department.

Werts did not want to comment on the charge. He did, however, praise the captain as a dedicated firefighter.

“He’s done a lot for the department. He’s a mover and a shaker. He’s one of our best firefighters,” Werts said.

In August, Ducharme was credited with delivering a baby in the back of an ambulance when the mother went into labor before reaching the hospital. The fire captain was trained in delivery but had never done it.

When the woman began having contractions, Ducharme produced an obstetrician’s kit and delivered a baby boy. At the time, he called it a “career high.”

Ducharme was also instrumental in 2000 when the city was preparing a list of street names that caused mix-ups for emergency officials. As part of the E-911 system, Ducharme and others suggested changes to street names that sounded similar or caused other sources of confusion.

mlaflamme@sunjournal.com