.LEWISTON — A convicted sex offender accused of attacking a man with a steel pipe remained in jail Wednesday as investigators pieced together events that led to his arrest. Ronald Leno of Durham was charged with aggravated assault after Saturday's attack and bail was set at $20,000 cash or $50,000 in property.
Paul Pugliese said events unfolded after a man he later learned was Leno approached his wife in their garden Saturday afternoon, two days after police notified Durham residents that Leno was a convicted sex offender.
At the time, Pugliese's wife described the man as "just chatty." Later, his wife and daughter realized who their visitor was. "We all were very upset. My wife said it was freaky, and she felt sick," Pugliese wrote in a sworn statement.
Pugliese said he gave his wife a loaded gun and "told her to use it if she had to" before paying a visit to Leno's home. He said he pulled his truck halfway up Leno's driveway. "I told him to 'stay away from my wife, family or you will pay the price,' " Pugliese stated.
He said Leno replied, "I guess you know I'm a sexual offender, but that was 20 years ago." Pugliese said the confrontation continued and Leno asked if he wanted to "settle it right there."
Pugliese said he backed out of the driveway and onto the street, where Leno spit a banana in his face and hit Pugliese's truck with a club, then opened the door to strike Pugliese.
Leno has lived in Maine for more than two years, his attorney Howard O'Brien said. O'Brien said his client had "no problems until the sheriff's department decided to make this a media case." ..more.. : by Associated Press
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