Shelton police arrested a Torrington man for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old Shelton girl he met online after she fell asleep in his car.
The man, 45-year-old Christopher Galvin, was charged Tuesday (Jan. 16) with fourth-degree sexual assault and second-degree harassment, both misdemeanors.
In a prepared statement, Shelton Police Detective Richard Bango said the 17-year-old filed a complaint with police last March saying she had met Galvin in an online chat room in 2013, when she was 13 years old.
“Galvin presented himself as a 22-year-old man at the time and the two became friends,” Bango said. “Over time Galvin began to drive to Shelton to meet the juvenile.”
On Feb. 17, 2017, Bango said, “Galvin and the juvenile were parked in his car and she fell asleep. At that point Galvin sexually assaulted the juvenile while she was sleeping at which point she woke up and began to scream.”
Police charged Galvin with harassment as well, Bango said, because he sent the victim emails and text messages “trying to justify what he had done” after learning she had filed a complaint with police.
Fourth-degree sexual assault is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. Second-degree harassment is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to three months behind bars.
Galvin was released after posting a $5,000 and is scheduled to appear at Superior Court in Derby Feb. 21.
