Orland man found guilty on kidnapping charges involving former girlfriend & young daughter

ORLAND, Maine (ELLSWORTH AMERICAN) - An Orland man was found guilty on two counts of kidnapping and other charges in connection with an incident on Verona Island involving his former girlfriend and her young daughter, according to the Ellsworth American.

47-year old Jeffery Witham was accused of holding the woman at gunpoint, punching her and choking her until she lost consciousness and smashing her cell phone on the bedroom floor, according to the newspaper.

In addition to the kidnapping charges, a Hancock County Superior Court jury also found Witham guilty of domestic violence aggravated assault, criminal restraint, domestic violence criminal threatening, domestic violence assault, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, endangering the welfare of a child with a dangerous weapon and criminal mischief.

It happened in June of 2020.

A friend of the victim’s contacted the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office asking for a well-being check on her after being unable to make contact with the woman.

No sentencing date has been set yet.