FARMINGTON -- An East Wilton man will spend the next six months in the Franklin County jail for sexually assaulting a 14-year old boy over the span of a year in 1994.

William Donald, 59, of 5 Temple Street, was sentenced in Franklin County Superior Court on the felony charge of sexual abuse of a minor to three years with all but six months suspended. Justice Michaela Murphy ordered him to have no contact with anyone under the age of 16, to undergo psychological treatment including sex offender counseling, and to register with the Maine Sex Offender Registry.

Donald was arrested in April 2007 and pleaded no contest to the charges, which does not admit or deny guilt. The plea is considered a guilty plea by the court.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said the victim was a troubled youth who lived near Donald at the time. He started doing odd jobs for him and Donald befriended him and at one point, got the boy to engage in sado-masochistic acts including a sex act, Robinson said.

In court, therapist Eric Rutberg told Murphy that Donald suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome stemming from an abusive childhood and the sexual conduct was a manifestation of that mental disorder, according to Robinson.

Last year, the victim contacted the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, saying he wanted to protect other children in the neighborhood from Donald.

As part of the investigation, the victim spoke to Donald on a recorded phone call and Donald admitted the past abuse, Robinson said.

Robinson recommended two years in jail but Murphy reduced that to six months because of the circumstances in the case, said Donald's attorney Walter "Woody" Hanstein.

He said she took into consideration Donald's lack of a criminal record and strong testimony from his minister and letters from the community that extolled his generous nature, his kindness and charitable work.