AUBURN — Turner businessman Jonathan Randall pleaded no contest Monday to a single charge of domestic violence assault and was sentenced to serve 14 days in county jail and another 350 days under house arrest.

The plea was entered in connection with a sexual assault on April 6, 2011, at Randall’s home and business on Strawberry Avenue, which is also where he will be serving the majority of his sentence.

Randall, 42, who was indicted last April on a charge of gross sexual assault, entered his plea as part of an agreement to reduce the charge and was found guilty of the lesser charge.

In addition to the jail time and house arrest, Randall was ordered to undergo counseling and to maintain his financial obligations to his former wife and five children. He was also ordered to have no contact with his former wife outside of scheduled school activities involving their children.

Before Randall was sentenced, Christine Cummings-Randall offered a tearful statement to the court, talking about her need for intensive therapy, her anger over the business debts her husband left when their marriage dissolved, and her worry that she and their children would lose their home without Randall’s income.

Looking at him, she said, “I trusted you,” before sarcastically noting that he had since moved on to another home and another woman.

Cummings-Randall told the court that her former husband is $22,000 behind in child support payments and she’s struggling to avoid foreclosure of her home.

According to Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson, his office agreed to the plea deal for Randall’s house arrest because it allowed the defendant to serve his sentence while also maintaining his business and earning income to support his children.

“This sentence allows the defendant to continue the business, which benefits the victim,” Robinson said.

Randall, who owns an ornamental metalworking firm, asked the court to delay the county jail portion of his sentence until Sept. 17 to allow him to work on several pending bids for his business. Androscoggin County Superior Court Justice Robert Clifford agreed, but ordered Randall’s probation to begin immediately.

Clifford also agreed to allow Randall to leave his home while under house arrest for purposes of work, including visiting work sites and for appointments with doctors, lawyers, counselors and other professionals. He will also be allowed to transport his children to organized school events and to attend those events.

Randall was represented by Portland attorney Peter Evans.

jmeyer@sunjournal.com

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