Man Accused Of Sexual Assault In Mansfield

MANSFIELD, CT — A 28-year-old Willimantic man is accused of raping a teenage student from Mansfield after a party in the summer of 2021.

Hector Cotto was arrested on a warrant late last week and charged with public indecency, first-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct. He was released on a $100,000 bond and is expected in Rockville Superior Court on Dec. 28, according to an arrest report.

State police began investigating the case in October 2021 after the teen approached education officials in Mansfield and told them about being assaulted the previous summer, according t0 a warrant. She was 17 at the time, according to a warrant.

The party took place in June 2021 at the Willimantic apartment of a friend of the girl and Cotto was a friend of the friends's boyfriend, according to a warrant. After some drinking, Cotto offered to take the teen to a fast food establishment in Mansfield, according to a warrant. The girl told state police that's when things became violent, according to a warrant. She told state police that Cotto twice forced himself on her in his car and overpowered her efforts to resist to perform two different sex acts on her, according to a warrant.

The girl said she was surprised no one in the fast food business noticed her efforts to resist, according to a warrant.

DNA and physical evidence was obtained from the vehicle, according t0 a warrant.