SANFORD — York County District Attorney Mark Lawrence this morning said his office has had some conversations with Sanford Police about possible initial charges against Gary Traynham, the Kennebunk man whom police say assaulted his former girlfriend earlier this week and abducted their two-year-old daughter, Hailey.
Traynham, 38, is charged by New Hampshire authorities as a fugitive from justice. Held at Strafford County Jail in Dover, N.H. since his arrest Tuesday afternoon, he was scheduled to appear today at District Court in Rochester, N.H. If Traynham waives extradition to Maine, he could appear in a York County courtroom as early as Friday.
While initial charges may not yet be fully sorted, when police caught up with Traynham in Milton, N.H. Tuesday afternoon, he was arrested on a warrant charging gross sexual assault, according to Milton Police Chief Mark McGowan.
The child’s mother was scheduled to speak to reporters this morning at a news conference set for 10 a.m. at Sanford Town Hall.
Hailey Traynham, who was not harmed, was reunited with her mother late Tuesday, 30 hours after police said Traynham violently assaulted his estranged girlfriend and abducted their daughter. Police allege he fled with the two-year-old in a stolen pick-up truck.
Traynham was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon by Milton, N.H. police after hunter Mike Grant spotted the pair in the pick-up truck on a road near the woods and convinced the father to surrender.
Grant drove the pair to the home of retired Wakefield Police Chief Tim Merrill on Route 153, where Traynham was arrested.
Traynham and his girlfriend, the child’s mother, were recently estranged. The child’s mother filed for a custody determination on Nov. 4 at Springvale District Court. According to court documents, she said the three had ceased to live together as a family Oct. 26 ”“ the day police said Traynham was arrested on a warrant for allegedly writing bad checks.
While it is likely Traynham will soon make an initial appearance before a judge in York County, the first opportunity to present the case to a Grand Jury comes in December.
— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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