Roger Barriault, a resident of Connecticut, has confessed to sexually abusing a minor for over a decade. Barriault’s admission of guilt was confirmed by Nate Baber, the attorney representing the victim. The charges leveled against Barriault include first-degree sexual assault, an offense that could potentially lead to a 25-year prison term, with the possibility of parole after a decade.
Barriault, who was the legal custodian of the victim, is mandated to serve a minimum of five years in prison, followed by a 20-year probationary period. Reports indicate that the victim was subjected to sexual abuse over 3,600 times by Barriault, leading to her becoming pregnant at the age of 12. The abuse started when the victim was just 9 years old and continued until she reached the age of 20.
The victim, now an adult, reported the abuse to the authorities in May 2023, which led to Barriault’s arrest in early 2024. Baber revealed that the assaults occurred between 2004 and 2015. A report from the state has criticized the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the probate court for their failure to safeguard the young girl.
The report also suggests that the DCF suspected Barriault of being the father when the victim became pregnant. However, they failed to report their suspicions to the authorities 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 indicating 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 disclosed 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.