FARMINGTON – A sexual assault case involving a Rangeley man will go to trial, a judge ruled last week.

In May, a Rangeley female came to authorities and said Abdilahi Abdi, 19, and known as “Shakur,” had forced her to have sex numerous times between June and September of 2002.

Abdi moved to Rangeley last summer, and attended the Rangeley Lakes Regional School until December, starring on the boy’s varsity soccer team.

He was arrested by deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department in May in Bangor where he was attending classes at the Job Corps center. At the time, Adbi was also hit with a felony criminal-threatening charge, punishable by up to five years, stemming from an incident in September of 2002 when he allegedly threatened the victim with a tire iron if she went to the authorities.

Last Thursday, after hearing the state’s case during a probable cause hearing in Farmington, Justice Susan Calkins ruled there was sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial, said Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson.

Currently, Abdi has been charged with six counts of Class A felony gross sexual assault and one felony count of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. He has been held at the Franklin County Detention Center since his May arrest on $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety bail.

However, if he is able to post bail, an immigration detainment would immediately send him into federal custody.

Robinson said he expected the case would go to trial in September.

sdepoy@sunjournal.com

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