AUBURN – A man who claimed he was molested by convicted pedophile Raymond Samson a decade ago has won a $300,000 judgment.

The alleged victim sued Samson, saying the 56-year-old Lewiston man sexually abused him about a dozen times during a 1-year period starting in January 1998 during the historic ice storm.

Androscoggin County Superior Court Justice Thomas Delahanty II wrote in his decision that the plaintiff, who was about 11 years old at the time, was inconsistent in his testimony about times, dates and places. But Delahanty said he found “clear and convincing evidence that (Samson) intentionally and knowingly committed unlawful sexual acts upon the plaintiff on at least three separate occasions.”

Samson appeared at the half-day bench trial nearly two weeks ago, his full beard and long, tied-back hair gone white. He is serving a 30-year prison sentence stemming from a 2006 conviction on 16 sex-related charges involving six children and two other charges connected with the case.

The plaintiff who brought the suit had told police of Samson’s alleged actions, but prosecutors dropped charges after Samson was convicted and sentenced.

Delahanty wrote that Samson must pay $300,000 in compensatory damages plus interest. The plaintiff also could seek a hearing on punitive damages following a 45-day period for discovery, Delahanty wrote.

Last year, the court ordered $250,000 of Samson’s real estate be attached in the event of a judgment for the plaintiff. His lawyer, John Topchik of Portland, had asked for $1 million.

Topchik declined to comment on the judgment.

Auburn lawyer Leonard Sharon, who represented Samson, said his client’s 2006 conviction bolstered the plaintiff’s claim and “tipped the scales against him. The fact (Samson) had been convicted earlier overcame the weakness in the plaintiff’s case and allowed the judge to conclude he was liable civilly,” Sharon said.

The plaintiff said the abuse started during the ice storm when his father’s home lost power and he, his sister and father were invited to stay with Samson, whose home was equipped with a generator. The boy’s father had rented an apartment from Samson earlier, and Samson had given him rides to his job at Bath Iron Works.

The abuse ended in June 1999 when the plaintiff and his sister moved back into their mother’s home outside of the city and he had no more contact with Samson, the plaintiff said.

When asked at the trial whether he abused the plaintiff, Samson said he hadn’t. When asked by the plaintiff’s attorney whether he had sex with anyone under age 16, he said, “No,” despite testimony to the contrary by Samson’s victims at his trial last year.

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