A day after she came forward, police arrested Robert V. Pentland III of 45 Princess Dr. and charged him with sexual assault in the third, two counts of injury, risk of injury to a minor or impairing the morals of a minor, and unlawful restraint in the second.
At last week's arraignments, Pentland pleaded not guilty to all charges.
"This is a frankly ridiculous prosecution, and I am very much looking forward to trial," said Pentland's lawyer Norman Pattis. "It is beyond comprehension how this ancient event was resurrected to support an arrest so many years after the fact."
According to the affidavit, the girl contacted police after she saw Pentland, who lives in her neighborhood, with another minor.
"She was pretty young," the 14 year old is quoted in the affidavit as saying, "and it surprised me because she was with Robbie and she was hanging from his arm and they seemed pretty close and it upset me."
Pentland, 37, has been listed on the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry since June of 2006, as a result of a conviction for unlawful restraint in the second degree on Jan. 19, 2005.
In the affidavit, the 14-year-old's mother testifies that Sue Pentland, mother of Robert Pentland III, told her about an incident in Darien in the fall of 2002. Robert Pentland III would babysit for a family in the town who had at least one girl, the 14-year-old's mother stated in the affidavit.
"She (Sue Pentland) stated that Robbie got in trouble in Darien and that he was watching kids and telling them ghost stories. She stated to me that Robbie then got in bed with the little girl and then she said he was accused of doing something with the girl," said the 14-year-old's mother.
The 14-year-old's family and the Pentlands were close, spending 3 or 4 nights a week together since the 14-year-old was born, the girl states in the affidavit.
"When I was younger, whenever I misbehaved, which I really don't think I did, he would sort of take advantage of that and he would spank me," the 14-year-old alleged victim stated in the affidavit. "It happened almost every time I was over there," she added.
"As I got older mostly, I also remember he didn't spank me as much any more, he more like gripped my bottom and he would, like, feel it," she says in the affidavit.
When she was nine years old, she told her mother what was happening.
In the affidavit, the 14-year-old's mother states that her husband went over to the Pentland residence and told the family that Pentland had touched his daughter inappropriately.
"My husband also told me that Robbie said, 'oh really, because I don't remember that,'" the girl's mother states in the affidavit. "My husband then said that he wanted the Pentlands not to have any contact with our family from now on."
Madison Acting Chief of Police Robert Nolan said that for this type of offence, "For as long as I'm here, there will be zero tolerance. It just won't be accepted in any way, manner or form. We will spend any manpower and time to resolve investigations of this type."
He added,
"Hopefully when this type of thing happens, the victim will come forward so this type of person can be taken off the streets." (Yeah, that didn't happen apparently)
Pentland posted $25,000 bond and was released on the condition that he would have no contact, either direct or indirect, with the victim or her family. He was scheduled to appear in court Dec. 3.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks