AUBURN – A jury apparently believed three girls who testified that their former music teacher touched them inappropriately.

James Raymond Jr., 27, said at his trial that he didn’t remember touching two of the young students and claimed the incident involving a third was an accident.

It took an Androscoggin County Superior Court jury 3 hours to return guilty verdicts Thursday on five charges: two counts of unlawful sexual touching and three counts of assault.

Each is a misdemeanor that carries a penalty of up to a year in jail.

Two of the girls, a first-grader at East Auburn Community School and a second-grader at Park Avenue Elementary School, testified that Raymond had touched their buttocks at school. A former fifth-grader at Webster Intermediate School told the jury Raymond touched her leg, from ankle to knee, under a table during a talent show in the school’s auditorium.

Raymond, dressed in a dark suit, showed no reaction Thursday when the jury forewoman answered, “Guilty,” to each charge after it was read by a court clerk.

After deliberating for 2 hours Wednesday, the jury sent a note to Justice Thomas Delahanty II asking to have the court reporter read back one of the younger girls’ testimony. The jury also wanted to review a videotaped interview in which the same girl recounted the incident with Raymond.

The judge obliged Thursday morning. Afterward, jurors spent an additional hour deliberating before deciding to convict on each count.

Assistant District Attorney Deborah Cashman told reporters after court adjourned that these types of cases are never easy, especially when children are involved.

“I know these young girls are going to be ecstatic that their voices were heard,” she said. “It was very important for them. This was a hard, hard process and it’s been a long time.”

Cashman said it was clear the jury carefully weighed the credibility of each girl.

“I never doubted them. They were always consistent with me. But, of course, when you have children, you never know how they’re going to be on the stand.”

Defense lawyer Walter McKee said Raymond’s interview with police was damaging to his client.

“Obviously, he made some statements that were very difficult” during the 2-hour interview heard by the jury, McKee said. During that interview, Raymond admitted to having urges to touch the legs and buttocks of little girls. He also said he had acted several times on those urges with his students.

“Cases like this typically, without a defendant’s statements, are tremendously difficult to prove. It would have been very different,” he said. Victims in these types of cases often are inconsistent in their statements, which hurts their credibility, he said.

McKee said he urged Raymond to testify in an effort to counter his incriminating statements, explaining he felt compelled to confess things he hadn’t done because he was intimidated by a detective.

“The jury assessed that and they came back with their verdict and we’re just going to move forward,” McKee said.

He said Raymond’s teaching career likely ended when he was charged, “whether he was found guilty or not.”

While an appeal is possible, McKee said the trial was “fairly clean.” His client will decide after sentencing, scheduled for October. Until then, Raymond is expected to remain free on $5,000 cash bail.

He is barred from having contact with anyone younger than 16 years old, except family members whose contact must be supervised by an adult. He is confined to his Auburn home all but three hours a day, from 9 p.m. until midnight. Raymond was back in court in May after he was charged with violating conditions of his bail because he reportedly followed one of the younger victims and her sister around a local Wal-Mart in April.

Justice Delahanty also ordered Raymond to undergo a psychiatric evaluation before he is sentenced.

The mother of one of the victims said Thursday that the ordeal has been a nightmare but ended with the proper verdict. She hoped Raymond would spend some time in jail.

The mother hadn’t acted immediately when her daughter came home last fall and told her Raymond had put his hand under her skirt and touched her buttocks over her underpants. She said she hadn’t wanted to make the accusation if the action had been an accident.

But her daughter later told a teacher about the incident when faced with the prospect of going back into Raymond’s class. Her mother was glad she did.

“She was the brave one and told the teacher anyway. I was very proud of her and I was very angry at myself, but she did the right thing.”

“I just wish there was more kids that would have come forward. I know there’s a lot more kids,” she said.

Cashman said she couldn’t comment on whether more charges might be lodged against Raymond. Several people have contacted authorities, she said.

She said parents should trust their instincts when a child confides information about possible abuse.

“Follow it up and talk to people,” she said.