Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty Sexual Assault Thousands Times

Roger Barriault, 65, from Bristol, Connecticut, pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault for repeatedly raping a girl under his legal guardianship thousands of times over more than a decade, starting when she was 9 years old and continuing until she ran away at age 20. Barriault impregnated the victim at age 12, with a 2024 DNA test confirming he was the father of her child. Despite multiple reports to the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) over the years, including suspicions arising from the victim's pregnancy, DCF failed to take effective action or alert law enforcement, leading to a civil lawsuit against the agency. Barriault faces a maximum sentence of 25 years, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison followed by 20 years of probation. His wife, Darlene Barriault, was also charged with risk of injury to a minor for her failure to act on the abuse allegations. DCF has stated that its systems have evolved significantly since the time of the abuse and emphasized limitations on sharing details due to ongoing litigation.