East Hartford Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Child: State

HARTFORD/EAST HARTFORD, CT — A jury has found an East Hartford man guilty of multiple sexual assault charges involving a juvenile, according to the Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney’s Office.

State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott announced Wednesday that Raymond Reyes, 46, of East Hartford, was convicted Tuesday of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and risk of injury to a minor following a trial in Hartford Superior Court.

Prosecutors said the case began Aug. 18, 2022, when East Hartford police responded to a report of a sexual assault involving a juvenile.

The child had disclosed the incident to a friend, who then informed a camp counselor.

The juvenile was taken to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for a sexual assault forensic examination.

Evidence collected in the exam was submitted to the state laboratory, where testing found DNA matching Reyes, according to prosecutors.

Trial evidence also showed the defendant had sexually assaulted the juvenile complainant multiple times when the child was between the ages of 4 and 11, authorities said.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Magnani and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Katelynn MacKinnon, with assistance from Inspector Carlos Ocasio and Paralegal Specialist Kelly Randall. Judge Michael J. Gustafson presided over the trial.

“These cases are incredibly difficult for everyone involved, including the members of the jury who were tasked with hearing such heartbreaking evidence,” Walcott said in a statement.

Walcott also thanked the East Hartford Police Department, the prosecution team, and the victim-services community for their work on the case, and acknowledged the victim for coming forward.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 29 in Hartford Superior Court.

For information on the case, click on this link.