Psychiatric Technician Pleads No Contest to Sexual Assault on Patient

By: Brian Shields - Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:22:28 -0800

SANTA ROSA (BCN) -- A longtime psychiatric technician at the Sonoma Developmental  Center pleaded no contest Friday morning in Sonoma County Superior Court to  committing a lewd act with a developmentally disabled patient last month.

      Rue LeRoy Denoncourt, 53, of Sonoma, allegedly committed the  offense on May 25 with a 39-year-old woman with the mental capacity of a  4-year-old in a bathroom at the center at 15000 Arnold Drive in Eldridge  north of Sonoma, Sonoma County sheriff's Detective Cecile Focha said.

      Judge Rene Chouteau indicated he will sentence Denoncourt to eight  months in county jail and three years' probation on Aug. 9. Denoncourt also  will be required to register as a sex offender.

      Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of indecent exposure  around 7:30 p.m. on May 25. Another employee at the center witnessed the  incident and informed the center's police department, Focha said. Police then  called the sheriff's office.

      Denoncourt voluntarily surrendered his psychiatric technician's  license and resigned from his job at the center, where he had worked for 27  years.

      A criminal protective order signed by the judge prohibits  Denoncourt from contacting the victim.

      The victim remains in the care of the center, Focha said.

      Denoncourt posted bail and is out of custody. He was charged with  commission of a lewd and lascivious act by a caretaker upon a dependent  adult.

      The Sonoma Developmental Center is a residential facility that  provides acute, nursing and intermediate care to people with developmental  disabilities.

       (Copyright 2012, Bay City News, All rights reserved.)
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