PARIS – Individual felony indictments against four northern Oxford County men were dismissed late last month after their alleged victims recanted or were unavailable.

Benjamin B. Howard Jr., 29, of Gilead, was indicted on a Class A felony charge of gross sexual assault on May 20 by an Oxford County grand jury.

The indictment stated that on Aug. 1, Howard allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a girl who had not yet attained the age of 14 years in Bethel.

But the charge was dismissed without prejudice on Oct. 29 because the victim was not available for a trial.

On Oct. 25, five charges against Rupert Malchisky, 49, of Peru, were dismissed; two charges against Norman Johnson Jr., 33, of Rumford, were dismissed; and one charge each against Brian Glover, 25, of Rumford, and Andrew D. Korhonen, 43, of Rumford were dismissed.

Malchisky, who had no previous history of criminal conduct, was indicted on felony charges of aggravated assault and reckless conduct, and misdemeanor charges of assault, terrorizing, and refusing to submit to arrest.

The incidents stemmed from Malchisky allegedly attacking and injuring his victim with scissors on March 9 in Peru, according to court records in his file.

But the victim later recanted, saying he didn’t wish to pursue the charges, court documents stated.

Johnson was indicted on a felony charge of assault and a misdemeanor charge of obstructing the report of a crime or injury. He was arrested in Rumford following an alleged domestic assault that occurred Jan. 3.

But the charges were dropped when his alleged victim could not be located.

Johnson was previously convicted of assault on Dec. 16, 2003, in Rumford District Court, and of assault on Dec. 13, 2002, in Oxford County Superior Court.

Glover was indicted on a Class B felony charge of aggravated assault after being arrested for an altercation inside a Rumford store. The victim in his case was unavailable for trial.

Likewise with Korhonen, who was indicted on a felony charge of assault, following an arrest on April 9 in Mexico for an alleged domestic assault.

According to court records, Korhonen was previously convicted of attempted gross sexual assault on April 26, 1995, in Oxford County Superior Court, and of assault on Oct. 7, 2003, in Rumford District Court.