State Police Arrest Suspect In Alleged Sexual Assault Of Juvenile Girl

NORTH CANAAN, CT — A 22-year-old Greenwich man stands accused of raping a New London County, CT female juvenile during the summer of last year while the two were at a home in North Canaan, CT, according to Connecticut State Police.

Taiel D. Gookool, of Prospect Street, was arrested Tuesday on charges of second-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor and providing alcohol to a minor. He also refused to be fingerprinted while being processed and was charged with that, also.

State police claim that Gookool allegedly raped the girl while he and a friend were at the North Canaan home with another girl and the victim. The assault allegedly occurred after Gookool and the victim were left alone in a room while the other two got something to eat, according to state police.

The incident was not reported to authorities until a few months later, in November of 2016, when the father of the victim overheard a phone call in which she told a cousin that she had allegedly been raped, according to state police.

State police launched an investigation, including extensive interviews and scouring the social media accounts of the victim, acquaintances and one, an Instagram account, that allegedly belonged to Gookool.

Once state police obtained what troopers believed was enough evidence, they got a warrant and picked up Gookool Tuesday.

Gookool was held in lieu of a $100,000 bond and was scheduled to be arraigned in Bantam Superior Court on Tuesday.