Police Investigating Hanging Death At Franklin County Jail

A Strong man, arrested last week for sexually assaulting a girl, was found hanging in his jail cell Monday night at the Franklin County Jail, according to State Police.

Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Steve McCausland said Stephen Tripp, 35, died early this morning at CMMC in Lewiston.  Jail personnel found Tripp hanging from a bed sheet, McCausland said.

According to McCausland, Tripp was arrested Friday for gross sexual assault and possessing sexually explicit material of children under the age of 12.  State Police began investigating Tripp in October after sexual photos of girls were found in his cell phone, McCausland said. State Police will also investigate the death, working with Franklin Jail officials.   State Police investigate all deaths of inmates inside Maine jails, according to McCausland.