PARIS — An Oxford man charged with sexually assaulting a young girl had his case dismissed recently after the girl recanted the story she told police.

The state dismissed three charges of gross sexual assault against Lyle Damon Mercado, 41, formerly of Pleasant Street in Mechanic Falls. Assistant District Attorney Joe O’Connor said Wednesday that the girl and her mother moved to Ohio, and that the girl admitted to the Ohio Department of Human Services that she had made up the story.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Mercado, who was informed of the dismissal by his attorney, Allan Lobozzo. “My life has been on idle. I’ve been scared to death of many things.”

Police initially charged Mercado with 520 counts of unlawful sexual contact and 30 counts of gross sexual assault. Capt. Hart Daley of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office determined the totals after the 9-year-old girl accused Mercado of touching her genitals five or six times a week for two years and sexually assaulting her at other times. The girl made the accusations in September.

A grand jury indicted Mercado on three counts of gross sexual assault in December. The indictment accused him of abusing the girl in Otisfield in August.

Mercado’s bail was set at $10,000 cash or $50,000 worth of real estate after his arrest. He posted a real estate lien, but O’Connor successfully asked for bail to be revoked due to a lack of equity in the property. Mercado later made the cash bail, which was returned to him upon the dismissal of charges.

Mercado said he helped in the school system and coached soccer teams prior to the accusations, and was unable to take part in such activities due to his bail conditions. He said he hopes to clear his name and become involved in the community again.

“I wasn’t able to drive by any schools. I wasn’t able to see my daughter, who’s the love of my life,” he said. “I was a big part of the community, which came to a screeching halt. Which was devastating to me.”

O’Connor said the Ohio Department of Human Services was aware of the charges against Mercado when they interviewed the girl. He said such recantations are rare, but not unheard of.

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