AUGUSTA — A Litchfield man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman in Chelsea has been indicted by a grand jury on several felony-level charges.
Joshua L. Tilley, 40, allegedly kidnapped the woman on Sept. 23 with the intent to inflict bodily injury upon her or terrorize her, and also punched and attempted to suffocate her, according to a Kennebec County grand jury indictment and a police affidavit.
The woman, who had a protective order against Tilley, was sleeping in a trailer in Chelsea when he allegedly approached her, called her names and threatened to kill her if she made any noise or tried to call anyone, an affidavit filed by Trooper Travis Luce states.
Tilley was indicted earlier this month on two Class A felony counts of kidnapping as well as charges of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening and violating a protective order, in connection with the incident.
An indictment is not an indication of guilt but an acknowledgement that enough evidence exists for a case to move forward toward trial.
He was accused of similar charges involving a different woman in Litchfield in 2019.
In August of that year, Tilley was arrested near his residence in Litchfield after police conducted an hours-long manhunt for him. He was charged with several crimes, including kidnapping, after allegedly threatening a woman with a knife and restraining her.
Tilley has an extensive criminal record in Maine, according to a background check with the state Bureau of Identification.
He was one of two men indicted this month on unrelated kidnapping charges.
Also indicted on a Class A felony charge of kidnapping, as well as several other charges, was Travon I. Vargas, 22, of Augusta.
An indictment alleges Vargas, on Oct. 15, a kidnapped a woman in Augusta and exposed her to a risk of serious bodily injury or knowingly restrained her with the intent to inflict bodily injury upon her.
Vargas is also accused of domestic violence aggravated assault, domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, domestic violence terrorizing, criminal restraint, obstructing report of crime or injury, criminal mischief and assault for incidents that allegedly happened on the same day.
All but the assault charge list the same woman as the victim. The assault charge alleges Vargas assaulted a man, also on Oct. 15 in Augusta.
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