Groton — The York County, Maine, grand jury indictment of former Groton town police chief stemmed from a Feb. 20 domestic violence incident in which he was accused of burglarizing a woman's home and stalking her, court records show.

The three-page indictment charged that Michael Crowley entered or surreptitiously remained in the woman's home in Lebanon, Maine, with the intent to commit domestic violence, stalking and harassment by telephone or other electronic device.

Crowley served as Groton town police chief from 2011 until retiring on Feb. 3, 2014. Shortly before, on Jan. 24, Town Manager Mark Oefinger had placed Crowley on administrative leave for undisclosed reasons.

The former chief, 56, of 43 Willow St., Mystic, faces two felony counts of burglary, three counts of misdemeanor stalking and one count each of criminal trespass and telephone harassment, according to the York County district attorney's office.

Crowley has declined comment on the charges. His lawyer, Patrick H. Gordon of Lyman, Maine, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Crowley is scheduled to appear before a York County Superior Court judge at 9 a.m. on Sept. 10 to enter a plea or go to trial, said clerk Tamara Rueda.

The indictment charges that Crowley engaged in conduct directed at the woman "that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily injury or to fear bodily injury to a close relation," to fear damage, destruction or tampering with her property and to cause her "serious inconvenience or emotional distress."

Charges also specify that he entered the woman's house knowing he was not privileged to do so and called her by phone or communicated by electronic device an "offensively coarse or obscene" message. 

Crowley initially was arrested by Maine State Police on Feb. 20 and taken to the York County Jail. He was released on Feb. 24 on $2,500 cash bail, according to jail records.

His conditions of release require that he have no contact with the victim or another person who was in the house at the time.

The conditions also prohibit Crowley from possessing a firearm or any dangerous weapons and using or possessing any alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs. He must submit to searches and testing at any time, without probable cause, to assure his compliance, court papers show.

Crowley also is required to participate in regular substance abuse counseling and undergo a mental health evaluation and counseling or treatment, according to the conditions of his release.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim