REGIONAL DIGEST.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

COLUMN: REGIONAL DIGEST

Teen sentenced for indecent assault

FITCHBURG - A Lunenburg teenager was sentenced to probation yesterday after pleading guilty to indecent assault and battery charges filed after he forced another teen to engage in sexual activity.

Arland R. Richardson IV, 18, of 23 Hemlock Drive, also pleaded guilty to charges involving an allegation that he showed photographs of the sexual conduct to boys ages 9 and 13, according to court records.

Mr. Richardson was originally charged with rape of a child with force in August in connection with the assault. The plea bargain accepted yesterday in Fitchburg District Court by Judge Elliott L. Zide reduced the charge to indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.

According to police reports included in court records, Mr. Richardson photographed himself receiving oral sex from a 15-year-old boy.

He told police that the 15-year-old was an ex-boyfriend who contacted him in July to get together. He said the photos of the encounter on his cellular phone were shared with the boys by a 15-year-old girl he described as his girlfriend.

In the plea agreement yesterday, Judge Zide sentenced Mr. Richardson to 18 months in the House of Correction, to be suspended for five years with probation.

Man held in home invasion

FITCHBURG - A man charged with forcing his way into an ex-girlfriend's residence and assaulting her new boyfriend was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail this week in Fitchburg District Court.

Stephen J. Hall, 47, of Northfield, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and home invasion.

According to court records, Mr. Hall is accused of forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend's home on Boutelle Street on Oct. 15 and forcing her new boyfriend to the ground while holding a hunting knife to his throat. The landlord arrived and Mr. Hall fled, according to police.

The female victim told police she and Mr. Hall had briefly lived together at the residence but he had left after a week. She said she had received phone messages from him saying she would be seeing him "real soon."

Judge Andrew L. Mandell set bail at $5,000 cash and ordered Mr. Hall to return to court Jan. 31 for a pretrial hearing.

Four arrested on drug charges

LEOMINSTER - An 18-year-old city man was released yesterday on $500 cash bail after police found him and three others in a car near Cinema Boulevard with marijuana, according to District Court records.

Alex Keisling, of 620 Litchfield...