LEWISTON — Gov. Janet Mills has tapped Alexandra Winter as acting district attorney for Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

Winter was sworn Thursday at City Hall.

The former assistant district attorney assumed the post left vacant when Andrew Robinson stepped down as district attorney after Mills appointed him last month to serve as a Maine District Court judge.

Winter has worked out of a South Paris satellite office at the Oxford County Courthouse since 2014, tackling domestic violence and sexual assault cases, but said she plans to relocate to the Lewiston office where most of the District 3 prosecutors are stationed. She expects to pay weekly visits to the South Paris and Farmington satellite offices as her predecessor did.

Most of the defendants whose cases are handled by the tri-county prosecutorial district appear in courts in Lewiston and Auburn, she said.

Winter will serve as district attorney until the winner of the November election for district attorney is sworn in at the end of the year.

Assistant District Attorney Neil McLean Jr. of Turner has filed papers with the Secretary of State’s Office to be on the June Republican primary ballot and, if successful, will appear on the November ballot.

No other candidates from either party have filed papers.

According to Maine law, Mills received names of recommended successors for Robinson from Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford county Democratic Committee members.

Because Winter is a registered Democrat, as Robinson was, and she lives within the prosecutorial District 3, in Auburn, she was qualified to fill the role of acting district attorney.

Winter said her immediate goal is to hire for vacant positions left by Robinson and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Matulis, who tendered his resignation earlier this month. His last day on the job is Friday.

Winter said she would need to find a prosecutor to carry out the assignment of domestic violence and sexual assault cases in Oxford County, though she said she might be able to pitch in where and when she’s needed on more serious cases.

Winter said she has no grand plans and hasn’t charted a new direction for the office.

“I have nothing but respect for Andy Robinson,” she said. “I thought that he ran this district very well. My goal simply is to provide some continuity and stability to both the office and to the community for the remainder of the term.”

After graduating from City University of New York Law School, Winter worked as an assistant and associate at a North Yarmouth law firm for two years.

She earned her bachelor’s degree at Brandeis University, then served as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer and interned at the Legal Aid Society in Queens, New York.

Winter was recognized with the Safe Voices Community Partner Award in 2018.

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