Southington Man Who Raped Underage Girl He Met Online Sent To Prison: State

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A 28-year-old Southington man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor he met through Snapchat has been sentenced to prison, according to the Tolland Judicial District State's Attorney's Office.

Superior Court Judge Tejas Bhatt on Wednesday, Sept. 23, sentenced Cody Cutler, 28, of Southington, to 10 years in prison, suspended after he serves 40 months, followed by 10 years of probation, State's Attorney Craig P. Nowak announced Thursday.

A jury in Superior Court in Rockville found Cutler guilty on July 15 of second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

According to prosecutors, evidence presented at trial showed Cutler used Snapchat to meet the minor on Dec. 18, 2020, and subsequently sexually assaulted her.

The victim immediately reported the assault and was taken to Connecticut Children's Medical Center, where medical treatment produced physical evidence that corroborated her report, prosecutors said.

The victim, who also testified during Cutler's trial, addressed the court during sentencing and described the mental and physical effects of the assault and court proceedings.

"I never felt comfortable telling my parents the details of how Cody raped me," the victim said in a statement released by the state. "But I was forced to go into extreme detail while in court. I had to expose the most painful moments of my life in a room full of strangers."

She added, "No parent should ever have to hear how their child was raped."

Supervisory Assistant State's Attorney Emily Trudeau prosecuted the case with assistance from Inspector John DiVenere and Paralegal Specialist Jennifer McDermott. The Coventry Police Department, Connecticut State Police Troop K and the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's Forensic Science Laboratory also assisted, according to prosecutors.

"Meaningful prison sentences for those convicted of sexual assault matter," Trudeau said. "This victim endured trauma both from the crime itself and from having to relive it while testifying."

Trudeau said sentences reflecting the gravity of sexual assault offenses reinforce accountability and can encourage victims to report assaults.

From July 16: ' Southington Man Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Minor, Met Victim Via Social Media: State'