AUBURN – An Auburn man accused of invading a Lewiston home, assaulting two men and terrorizing two women last month was indicted on seven counts Wednesday by an Androscoggin County grand jury.

Brian Joseph Paladino, 32, of 40 High St., was indicted on one count of burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of criminal threatening and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

The charges stem from a Dec. 22 invasion of an Elm Street apartment occupied by brothers Lucas Messer, 23, and Nicholas Herrick, 27. Also present at the time of the incident were Caitlyn York and Shannon Brenner, girlfriends of the two brothers.

A second suspect involved in the incident fled before police arrived. Lewiston police Lt. Mark Watson said no other arrests have been made in connection with the incident, but added that the case remains under investigation.

The indictment said the burglary charge stems from Paladino and the second suspect forcing their way into the apartment with the intent to assault the occupants. The aggravated assault charges resulted from Messer being assaulted with a gun and Herrick being hit in the head with a crow bar – although earlier reports indicted that the second suspect was the one who assaulted Herrick.

Because of a prior conviction for conspiracy to commit unlawful trafficking of scheduling drugs in 2002, Paladino is not allowed to own, possess or use a firearm.

The brothers told the Sun Journal on Dec. 27 that they believed Paladino should be charged with attempted murder because he tried several times to fire the gun at them, but that it jammed and would not discharge.