If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.
An arrest was made on Wednesday in relation to a 1996 cold case out of Hancock County.
Jason Follette, 56, of Gouldsboro was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 21-year-old woman in 1996. The woman, who is now 47 years old, was sexually assaulted in her apartment in Hancock on Aug. 11, 1996, according to the Maine State Police.
During the investigation, DNA from an unidentified male was collected from the apartment that the assault occurred in. On Aug. 2, 2022, an arrest warrant was issued for “John Doe.”
Recent advances in DNA processing and a test completed by Othram Inc. lead detectives to identify Follette as the man who perpetrated the attack, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine State Police.
Follette was arrested at a pier in Gouldsboro on Wednesday, and has been charged with one count of gross sexual assault. He is being held at the Hancock County Jail, although it was unclear on Wednesday afternoon if bail was set. Further charges may be considered, according to Moss.
