Man pleads guilty in sex case

TORRINGTON — A former Torrington man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he repeatedly sexually assaulted a young girl while living in Torrington.

Robert Fogle, then 34, pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor and second-degree sexual assault under the Alford doctrine, in which a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes evidence exists to secure a conviction at trial. Such pleas result in a finding of guilt by the court.

As part of a plea agreement with the state, Fogle is set to receive a sentence of 30 years in prison, suspended after 20 years, with 20 years probation.

Prior charges included two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a victim under 13 and two counts of illegal sexual contact of a victim under 16.

According to an affidavit seeking a warrant for his arrest, Fogle allegedly began assaulting the girl when she was 6 years old.

The victim, referred to as “Juvenile A” in the affidavit, informed adults and Torrington police of the alleged assaults in September 2016, saying she had been having flashbacks and panic attacks in connection with the incidents.

The victim told police she did not want to participate, but at that age, she did not know how to handle the situation and thought she needed to do what she was told by Fogle, according to the affidavit.

The juvenile said the abuse took place “almost on a daily basis” for approximately two years, before Fogle was arrested on a sexual assault charge stemming from another incident and incarcerated.

Her mother told police Fogle worked for a moving company and would be gone for weeks, according to the affidavit.

The officer spoke with Fogle over the course of the investigation, at which time, Fogle denied any type of sexual assault, police said.

“After this denial, I asked Fogle to give me a sworn written statement,” wrote the officer in the affidavit. “Fogle then stated that he could not do anything further without his attorney present. My conversation stopped with Fogle.”

Fogle was released from prison in 2012. The juvenile said she would visit Fogle regularly after he got out, and the abuse allegedly continued.

Fogle allegedly attempted to have intercourse with her as well, with attempts becoming more frequent in the summer of 2016, according to the affidavit.

The juvenile victim was 12 or 13 when she first told her mother of the assaults, according to the affidavit. At that time, there was a meeting with a number of people present, including Fogle.

Fogle stopped assaulting Juvenile A for about a month after this, according to the affidavit, but allegedly resumed.

Fogle is scheduled to be sentenced June 22, according to court records.