Details emerge in alleged groping of Meals on Wheels worker

James Tilton ... accused in sex assault (Harrison Thorp photo)

ROCHESTER - Lurid new details have emerged in the case of an elderly Rochester man accused in the groping of his Meals on Wheels delivery woman last month.

According to an arrest document on file at Rochester District Court, 87-year-old James Tilton allegedly grabbed the 64-year-old woman at some point as she was delivering his noon meal on Sept. 4.

According to the document, “subject did grab (her) around the waist, pinning her arms by her side, grabbed her buttocks ...”

Tilton, a retired worker at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, was arrested almost a week later on Sept. 9 and charged with Sexual Assault, a Class A misdemeanor that could land him in jail for up to one year.

The arrest report goes on to say he put his finger “in the crack of her buttocks over her clothing, thrust his groin area into her repeatedly and licked her neck at the same time.”

The woman now refuses to deliver Tilton’s meals, said Emily Sylvain, Director of Nutrition of Strafford Nutrition, which oversees delivery of the meals throughout the area.

Sylvain said she has been in contact with other agencies that have a relationship with Tilton and is aware that he is getting dietary assistance from other sources, including family who live in Rochester and elsewhere in New Hampshire. 

She said it’s difficult geographically to find a driver from another Meals on Wheels route who could deliver to Tilton, but she is working on finding such an alternative and expects to have the situation corrected soon.

For his part, Tilton has stated he’s also able to fend for himself, food-wise.

He has also said he wouldn’t recognize the alleged victim if he saw her on the street and has no recollection of the alleged sexual assault.

Tilton said he is still being looked after in his home by visiting nurses after a recent bout with pneumonia.

Police have said there were no injuries as a result of the incident.

Tilton has said his arraignment next month in Rochester District Court will be his first time in a courtroom.