FARMINGTON — Three Franklin County men were indicted Friday on charges related to sex crimes.

The grand jury indicted Joshua Austin, 27, of Farmington on a felony charge of gross sexual assault against a juvenile on Aug. 3, 2014. Austin was familiar with the victim, Farmington police Detective Marc Bowering said in September.

Police started investigating after they received a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services about mid-August. Austin was arrested in September.

In a second case, William Sylvester, 40, of Phillips was indicted on two counts of gross sexual assault against a girl younger than 15. The incidents occurred between Dec. 1, 2013, and April 30, 2014.

Franklin County sheriff’s Lt. David St. Laurent began an investigation in May 2014 after police received a Maine Department of Health and Human Services referral, Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. said in October.

St. Laurent had an arrest warrant issued for Sylvester and he turned himself in to the Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 30.

In a third case, Ross Adams, 48, of Farmington was indicted on a felony charge of unlawful sexual contact involving a girl younger than 18 between July 4, 2014, and Oct. 10, 2014.

Bowering said in December that the victim reported the sexual contact and Bowering began an investigation in mid-November. He later applied for a warrant and Massachusetts police picked up Adams on the warrant in December.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net