PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – Det. William Scull, of the Presque Isle Police Department, was busy Feb. 15 notifying residents and businesses of a new, and potentially dangerous, neighbor.
“Bill delivered flyers to residences on State Street and surrounding streets with regard to Ronald Leno, 57, who now resides in the area. Leno was recently released after 17 years of incarceration for rape,” said Chief Naldo Gagnon.
Gagnon said Leno had been convicted of multiple sex offenses in Hawaii and Massachusetts and that all the victims were females. Leno was classified in Massachusetts as a sexually violent predator.
“He’s considered ‘high risk’ due to the nature of the crimes he was involved in. The first case took place in 1978 in Hawaii and Leno had several more after that one,” said Gagnon.
In June of 1978, Leno plead guilty of the reduced charge of third degree assault. Gagnon said Leno had originally been charged with rape. A sentence of one year on probation was handed down in Hawaii in that case.
By July of 1978, Leno reportedly had raped another woman.
“Leno was charged with rape and was sentenced in Worcester Superior Court to five years’ probation, while the first case was still pending in Hawaii,” said Gagnon. “By September of 1978, Leno reportedly sexually assaulted a woman in Boston. He was charged with rape and assault with intent to rape, breaking and entering. He was sentenced in May of 1979 to five year’s probation – this, while the first two cases were still pending.”
In July 1980 Leno was charged a fourth time with raping a woman inside a Boston café.
“In that case, he was sentenced originally to 20-30 years, which was reduced to 9-20 years,” said Gagnon.
Before he was locked up, however, Leno was believed to have been involved in yet another attack.
“In December of 1980, Leno reported raped a female law student at her Boston apartment. He was court acquitted on that charge,” said Gagnon.
Leno was committed to state prison in Massachusetts in October of 1981. Gagnon said prison records indicate Leno had 20 disciplinary reports from the time he entered prison through early 2000. Things didn’t change upon his release.
“He was paroled in Massachusetts but violated parole three times. Each time involved juvenile females Leno was reportedly stalking. No charges were filed but Leno was returned to prison for violation of parole,” said Scull.
Upon release from Massachusetts, Leno moved to Durham, Maine. This time, his criminal activity involved a man.
“He was charged with aggravated assault on a male subject and insurance fraud. Around the same time he’s believed to have stalked a juvenile female in the Brunswick area,” said Scull.
Those charges landed Leno in prison in Warren.
“He served time in Warren for aggravated assault and insurance deception,” said Gagnon.
Due to the nature of Leno’s crimes, Gagnon said it was important to notify the public. Leno decided to move to Presque Isle to be closer to family.
“It’s unlawful to harass or threaten an offender. We just want to make the public aware this individual is in our area. Courts have ruled him a sexually dangerous person,” said Gagnon. “Leno moved to Presque Isle because he has family in northern Aroostook County.”
Residents to the East of Second Street, in the area of State Street, were notified on Thursday. Schools, the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library and public facilities also received notification.
If anyone has questions or concerns, contact the PIPD at 764-4476. For a listing of registered offenders in Maine, visit the Maine Sex Offender Registry at www.maine.gov/sor.
