By Karen Florin
Published on 6/2/2006 in Fire & Police » Court & Police Dispositions
Former Old Mystic firefighter Chad M. Lehofer has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting two 15-year-old members of the fire department and attempting to coerce a third member to have sex.
In a plea agreement with the state, Lehofer agreed Wednesday to a sentence of 10 years in prison, suspended after 18 months, and 10 years of probation. He pleaded guilty to two counts of risk of injury to a minor and pleaded guilty under the Alford Doctrine to felony coercion. Under the Alford plea, he does not admit guilt but concedes the state has enough evidence to convict him. He will be listed on the state's sex offender registry for the duration of his probation and will pay a fine of $450.
Lehofer was removed from the fire department last summer when the first complaint arose.
According to the state, a 15-year-old girl approached Fire Chief Ken Richards on Aug. 31, 2005, and said that she had gone for a ride with Lehofer in his Crown Victoria to buy cigarettes after the two of them went to the fire department together. After stopping at the store, Lehofer drove her to Stonington Point and began kissing her and making sexual advances. She resisted, and he stopped and drove her home.
A short time after the first complaint, Richards notified police of another complaint. In that case, the state contends, Lehofer again drove a 15-year-old to Stonington Point, and they had sex. A 19-year-old girl then came forward and said she and Lehofer had previously been involved in a consensual sexual relationship but that he had attempted to coerce her into having sex after the two of them attended a firefighting class together.
Public Defender Peter Scillieri said Lehofer has maintained throughout pre-trial proceedings that all three females consented but understands that having sex with underage girls is outside of the law.
Lehofer will be sentenced July 12.