ALFRED — A Kennebunk man was ordered held without bail Wednesday on a charge of gross sexual assault.

Police accused Gary Traynham of strangling his estranged girlfriend Nov. 9 at her Sanford apartment to the point she blacked out. A police affidavit said he also sexually assaulted her and fled the state with their 2-year-old daughter.

Traynham, whose flight to New Hampshire with his daughter, Hailey, triggered Maine’s first Amber Alert, made a first appearance before Justice Paul Fritzsche Wednesday at York County Superior Court.

Fritzsche told Traynham the case would be presented to a York County Grand Jury in January or February and ordered his next appearance for Feb. 26.

Traynham, 38, is held on a charge of Class A gross sexual assault. Dressed in dark pants, a white shirt and a blue denim jacket, he said nothing during the brief hearing, then conferred with his attorney, Amy Fairfield.

Traynham was held in New Hampshire following a court appearance last week in Rochester, where he waived extradition to Maine. He was arrested by Milton, N.H. police on Nov. 10 after a hunter discovered Traynham and his daughter in a pick-up truck on a woods road and convinced Traynham to surrender. By that time, Traynham and Hailey had been missing for about 30 hours.

According to an affidavit prepared by Sanford Police Det. Sarah Roberts, Traynham’s former girlfriend, Lisa Gould, returned home with Hailey after being out for about half an hour on Nov. 9 and found Traynham hiding behind their apartment door.

“He flung (Gould) across the living room so she landed in the dining room. Gary proceeded to deadbolt her door while Hailey was standing by it screaming,” Roberts wrote in the affidavit seeking an arrest warrant.

“Gary put his hands around (Gould’s) throat, strangling her to the point she blacked out ”¦,” according to the affidavit. “Gary was holding (Gould’s) face and neck the whole time and it was difficult for her to breathe.”

Traynham allegedly told his former girlfriend he had spent the night in the building’s laundry room.

The couple had been estranged for about three weeks.

He allegedly forced Gould into the bedroom where there was duct tape, a large knife, vodka and cranberry juice laid out on the night-table. The affidavit alleges Traynham tried to put duct tape over Gould’s mouth and then later stuffed the tape in her mouth.

Traynham then allegedly sexually assaulted his former girlfriend. His daughter was standing in the bedroom, according to the court documents.

Gould told police she then convinced Traynham they should all go to the park and the three left the apartment together. The woman saw the building’s maintenance man and he apparently tried to calm the situation and she ran to the building manager’s apartment for help. The manager called police and according to the document, wouldn’t let the woman leave for her own safety.

Traynham left with his daughter.

Gould was taken to the hospital.

An intensive search that included police from two states and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ensued. The little girl was unharmed when she and her father were found the next afternoon by the hunter.

York County District Attorney Mark Lawrence declined to speak about the evidence in the case, but said further charges would depend on the actions of the Grand Jury.

Traynham, will be held without bail at York County Jail unless Fairfield, his attorney, moves for a hearing, he said.

Fairfield had little comment.

“He’s doing OK,” she said. “I have a lot of work to do.”

Lawrence said his office is working with all of the investigative agencies involved to develop the case.

“All of the police agencies have done an excellent job,” said Lawrence. “Sanford Police responded quickly and efficiently. We’re pleased the child is safe. Sanford did a very good job.”

The maximum prison term for a conviction on gross sexual assault is 30 years.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.