Sober house operator charged with molesting young boy

Sean E. Stevens, who operates a substance abuse recovery houses in Norwich, is accused of twice molesting a young boy he befriended over the summer.

Stevens, 43, of 228 South Thames St. was arraigned today in Superior Court in Norwich on charges of first-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor.

Stevens is charged with molesting the 10-year-old boy, whom he kept overnight at his house several times. Stevens also took the boy jet-skiing and boating and bought him toys, according to an arrest warrant affidavit prepared by Norwich Detective Damon R. Wallace. The investigation began when a co-worker of Stevens reported he had looked through a basement window at Stevens' house and seen Stevens and the boy in bed together. Police said the boy initially denied that Stevens sexually assaulted him, but eventually disclosed the molestations to his mother and to a trained investigator during a forensic interview.

Witnesses told police that Stevens often has young boys at his house, and the police are attempting to determine if there are more victims.

Stevens, who was arrested at a relative's home on Tuesday and held overnight on a $250,000 bond, appeared in court in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. A Norwich native, Stevens has been arrested 12 times in Connecticut and once each in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, according to bail commissioner Lois Dupointe. He was convicted of risk of injury to a minor in 1989, she said, but the majority of Connecticut cases are larceny, burglary and substance abuse-related.

Prosecutor Thomas M. Griffin asked a judge to increase Stevens' bond to $350,000 given his prior record and the seriousness of the charges. Defense attorney Carmine Giuliano asked the judge to lower the bond, saying Stevens has known about the allegations since July and has not fled. Giuliano also questioned the witness statement of what he had seen through the window.

"I've been over to the house and I've seen the view," he said. "You cannot see through that window to where the bedroom is."

Judge Robert L. Young kept the bond at $250,000 and ordered Stevens to have no contact with the victims or witnesses and no contact with anyone under the age of 18 except for blood relatives. He is also to seek substance abuse counseling if he makes bond. At the request of the bail commissioner, the judge ordered a medical watch for Stevens.

"I consider the allegations to be so serious that Mr. Stevens does have the potential to be a danger to the community," the judge said.

Stevens briefly operated a controversial sober house at 119 Old Jewett City Road in Preston and currently operates the controversial Norwich Recovery Living Center at 31 Bentley Ave. Stevens is listed as a "member" of the LLC on the Secretary of the State business database, with his 228 South Thames St. address. Letters in the city zoning records also give that address.

In July of this year, the Commission on the City Plan denied permits for the facility, which had opened without permits in the summer of 2007. Substance abuse recovery houses are not allowed in single-family zones, where the Bentley Avenue house is located.

On behalf of Stevens' facility, the Fair Housing Center of Hartford appealed the denial to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, citing federal fair housing laws for people with disabilities. A HUD investigator interviewed Norwich officials in August and has yet to issue a ruling, said Sean Sullivan, the Norwich city attorney who handled the issue.

Stevens had earlier disputes with city officials over operation of a former sober house for women at 228 Washington St. Stevens and business partner John Feeney had opened the Norwich Sober Living Center in 2006 without city permits. After receiving complaints from neighbors, former city Zoning Officer Paulette Craig ordered the facility to close.

Stevens filed an appeal to HUD, and the federal agency dismissed the appeal in January 2007. Stevens closed that facility and opened the Bentley Avenue house, also without permits, in a single-family zone in July 2007.

Craig discovered the house as tenants were moving in, and again issued a cease and desist order.

Sullivan said Wednesday no enforcement action has been taken at the facility at 31 Bentley Ave., because Stevens had told city officials that no more than five residents per dwelling unit were residing in the house – the maximum allowed under zoning regulations.

Sullivan said there have been no new complaints and no inspections while city officials await the HUD inspector's report.

Day staff write Megan Bard contributed to this report.

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