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OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Maine man is accused of marrying a New Hampshire woman while also wed to women in two different states.
Michael Middleton, 44, of Old Orchard Beach, was already married to Katherine Lashley of Georgia and Kassandra Shipley of Alabama when he wed Alicia Grant of Dover, New Hampshire six years ago. Prosecutors say Middleton gained the trust of the unsuspecting women before taking control of their personal assets and vanishing.
Grant only discovered the deception and alerted authorities when she placed a phone call that was answered by a woman claiming to be Middleton's wife. Detectives utilized records from other states to build the case, the Journal Tribune reports .
A New Hampshire grand jury indicted Middleton on charges of bigamy, which carries a penalty of 3.5 to 7 years in prison. He has been taken into custody and will be arraigned on Thursday in Dover Superior Court.