Portland code enforcement officer assaulted woman on the job, newly released reports show
Former Portland Code‑Enforcement Officer Sentenced to 90 Days in Jail After Assault During Fire Response
Portland, ME – Matthew Sarapas, 51, a former code‑enforcement officer and fire inspector for the City of Portland, has been ordered to serve a 90‑day term in the Cumberland County Jail and pay a $300 fine after pleading guilty to a Class D assault charge. The case stems from an alleged assault that occurred while Sarapas was attending a fire on Brighton Avenue in April 2024.
The Incident
On an early morning in April 2024, a building fire broke out on Brighton Avenue. Sarapas, who had been dispatched to the scene as a fire inspector, entered the apartment of a 20‑year‑old resident who was concerned about a possible gas leak. According to police reports released after a public records request, the resident said Sarapas began rubbing her shoulders and fondling her breasts. She further alleged that he licked her breast and coerced her to touch his genitals, an act she did not consent to. The victim reported the assault shortly after Sarapas left the premises.
When questioned later that day, Sarapas denied any sexual contact. Nearly a year later, a forensic analysis of a sexual‑assault evidence kit showed that Sarapas’s saliva was present on the victim’s breast, corroborating her account.
Arrest, Plea and Sentencing
Police re‑interviewed Sarapas in March 2025 at the Portland Police Department headquarters on Middle Street. During that interview he admitted to touching and kissing the victim’s breasts, but insisted that “there was nothing that was not consensual.” His attorney, Daniel Wentworth, later told reporters that his client “acknowledges he had a lapse in judgment during what he thought was a consensual encounter.” The same week the officer was taken into custody on charges of unlawful sexual touching and Class D assault. He was placed on administrative leave for about a month before resigning in April 2025.
In August 2025, Sarapas entered a plea agreement. Prosecutors dismissed the unlawful sexual touching charge in exchange for a guilty plea to one count of Class D assault. The agreement was reportedly chosen to spare both the victim and Sarapas’s family from a protracted trial. The court sentenced him to 90 days in jail, a $300 fine, and ordered him to surrender to the Cumberland County Jail by September 11.
Restrictions and Compensation
City officials have not disclosed details surrounding Sarapas’s arrest, citing the ongoing investigation. However, court documents reveal that bail conditions prohibit him from entering any city‑owned residential buildings, including the Brighton Avenue property where the incident occurred, even though the assault did not take place on city property. While on administrative leave, the officer received $5,847 in pay, according to City spokesperson Jessica Grondin.
Current Status
Cumberland County Jail staff confirmed that Sarapas remains in custody as of the latest reports. He will be released after serving his 90‑day sentence, pending any additional court orders.
Support for Victims
The City of Portland and the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault continue to offer resources for survivors. Those in need of help may contact the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 1‑800‑871‑7741 for free, confidential assistance 24 hours a day.
This story was originally reported by the Portland Press Herald and has been rewritten for Maine News Now.
