A Connecticut man, Roger Barriault, has admitted to sexually assaulting a minor over a span of more than ten years. The victim’s lawyer, Nate Baber, confirmed that Barriault entered his guilty plea on Tuesday. The charges against him include first-degree sexual assault, a crime that carries a potential 25-year sentence, with the possibility of suspension after 10 years.
Barriault, who was the legal guardian of the victim, is required to serve a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, followed by a 20-year probation period. It has been reported that the victim was sexually assaulted over 3,600 times by Barriault, resulting in her becoming pregnant at the tender age of 12. The abuse began when the victim was only 9 years old and continued until she was 20.
The victim, now an adult, reported the abuse to the police in May 2023, leading to Barriault’s arrest in early 2024. Baber stated that the assaults took place between 2004 and 2015. A damning report from the state has criticized the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the probate court for their failure to protect the young girl.
The report also alleges that the DCF suspected Barriault of being the father when the victim became pregnant. However, they did not report their suspicions to the police or seek a court order for a paternity test. A test conducted in 2024 confirmed Barriault as the father.
In response to the report, the DCF issued a statement saying that their current system has “evolved significantly over the past 20 years,” and that the findings in the Barriault case are “of limited utility for purposes of this report.” According to Baber, the victim first came into contact with the DCF as a foster child when she was between 6 months and 2 years old. She was placed with a foster mother who introduced her to Barriault. The foster mother later moved away, leaving the victim in the care of the Barriaults.
Baber also revealed that the DCF was unaware that the foster parent had moved. The Office of the Child Advocate had previously stated that they were investigating multiple allegations of prior sexual abuse of children placed in Barriault’s care and custody. Barriault was first accused of inappropriate touching in 2005 and 2006 by a different child.