PARIS – Six employees of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office were ready to testify Wednesday against Andrew E. Distasio.

The 20-year-old Lewiston man was facing a probation violation charge of aggravated criminal mischief for tampering with property of a law enforcement agency.

They never got to testify.

A plea arrangement was made in which Distasio received a 60-day sentence in the jail and must pay $281 restitution.

The plea bargain frustrated Oxford County Jail Capt. Ernie Martin.

“The irony is that he went to court today and got his third partial,” Martin said. “I’m wondering just who was getting punished? He’s a problem to us. I’d like to see him in the DOC (Department of Corrections) system.”

Distasio was originally convicted in October of 2003 for unlawful sexual contact and was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months, with all but 6 months suspended and 3 years probation.

The original charge was gross sexual assault, but it was plea bargained down to the lesser charge.

Twenty-three days after finishing his 6-month sentence, Distasio violated his probation in the Rumford area, which sent him back to the Oxford County Jail.

Then on Jan. 29 he jammed the toilet system with towels and anything else he could get his hands on, according to Martin.

Martin said the inmates couldn’t use the toilets or showers in the C and D blocks for 24 hours. The main drain was jammed and a rented power snake had to be used to free them.

“It’s a mockery,” he said. “Here’s a guy that shows nothing but contempt for the system and instead of putting him in prison, they keep sending him here,” Martin said.

Martin said Distasio first entered the jail system in 2002 on a terrorizing conviction, in which he received 30 days in jail and probation time.

“He sat in jail until June 11 (2002) and then got 45 more days for violating that probation for a new criminal conduct,” Martin said. “On June 27 he violated that probation and got 120 days.

“And now, he’s doing a prison sentence on county jail installments,” Martin said. “I’d like to see him graduate to Maine Correctional Center.”
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