(Hartford, CT) - Sharmese L. Walcott, State’s Attorney for the Hartford Judicial District, announced today that a jury on March 3, 2026 found Raymond Reyes, age 46, of East Hartford, guilty of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-7a(a)(2), Sexual Assault in the Second Degree, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-71(a)(4), and Risk of Injury to a Minor, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53-21(a)(2).
Trial evidence established that on August 18, 2022, East Hartford Police responded to a report of sexual assault involving a juvenile. The juvenile disclosed the incident to a friend, who then informed a camp counselor. The juvenile was brought to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination, and the evidence kit was submitted to the state laboratory for testing. According to the lab reports, DNA obtained from the kit matched that of the defendant.
Evidence at trial also revealed that the defendant had been sexually assaulting the juvenile complainant multiple times when they were between the ages of 4 and 11.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Magnani and Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Katelynn MacKinnon, with the assistance of Inspector Carlos Ocasio and Paralegal Specialist Kelly Randall. The Honorable Michael J. Gustafson presided over the trial.
State’s Attorney Walcott would like to thank the trial team, led by Assistant State’s Attorney Magnani, for the care and dedication they showed in preparing the victim for this difficult stage of their journey. She also extends her gratitude to the East Hartford Police Department for their assistance throughout the case, and most importantly, to the victim and the compassionate victim‑services community that supported her.
“These cases are incredibly difficult for everyone involved, including the members of the jury who were tasked with hearing such heartbreaking evidence,” State’s Attorney Walcott said.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2026 in Hartford Superior Court.