RUMFORD, Maine — Editor's note: The video above aired July 25, 2019.
A Sabattus woman who was charged with her boyfriend in 2019 with sexually assaulting an 8-year-old child in Rumford has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Bethany Ringuette, 37, was found guilty in January of class A felony gross sexual assault. Rumford police said at the time that Ringuette and her boyfriend, Travis Walker, 31, of Bethel, assaulted the child more than once in early 2019.
On Thursday, Ringuette was sentenced to five years in prison followed by 10 years of probation, according to a release from the Rumford Police Department.
Walker was convicted in June 2021 of class A felony gross sexual assault and sentenced to 13 years with all but seven years suspended followed by eight years probation.
Both initially faced additional charges that included patronizing the prostitution of a minor and aggravated sex trafficking of a minor.
The Sun Journal reported at the time that prosecutors alleged that in at least one instance, Ringuette recorded the assault on her cellphone.
Following Ringuette's conviction in January, Rumford police Chief Tony Milligan said in a statement that he was pleased with the outcome of the trial.
"When kids fall victim to this kind of predatory perversion, it breaks our hearts," he said. "We turn that feeling into professional motivation to do the very best investigation we can, in cooperation with the district attorney’s office to gather the evidence needed to hold these two accountable for their unthinkable actions."