Doug and Danay Crossley's house in Lisbon was a fun place to go as a teen, according to an alleged sexual assault victim who testified Monday as the trial of Douglas R. Crossley Jr began in New London Superior Court.

"We could go there and drink and have fun, and I was allowed to have my boyfriend sleep over," said the 26-year-old woman from Rhode Island.

There was a pool, pinball machine and pool table, and she said she would often baby-sit for the Crossleys three young daughters and sleep over with her friends. She also attended the parties that the couple hosted once or twice a month for family and friends.

Crossley, 40, who has since moved to Mechanicsville, Va., is on trial for sexually assaulting the young woman while she was physically helpless and for sexually touching her and four other girls who were underage at the time. All of the alleged victims are expected to testify this week about the crimes which the state alleges occurred between 2005 and 2010.

The young woman said Crossley would often grab the "boobs and butts" of her and other teens and would tell her about sexual encounters that he and his wife had with others.

She testified that one night, when she was under 16, he invited her and a friend into their bedroom at 23 Lee Road to watch a movie. With his wife in the room, she testified, he offered them some of the Klonipin pills he kept in the medicine cabinet. She took one, and it made her feel, "out of it," said the young woman. Crossley said he wanted to "try something" sexual with her, and she said she didn't want to.

"Him and his wife just kept saying, it will feel good," she said.

She said he performed a sexual act on her while his wife also touched her sexually.  She said she "blocked out" the incident until she was 21 and had a conversation about it with her sister. She said she spoke to her parents, who both advised her to go to the police.

"At first I was embarrassed," she said. "I didn't want to. But I thought about his three daughters and I didn't want anything to happen to anyone else."

Crossley, who has been free on a $150,000 bond since he was arrested in February 2016, is vigorously defending himself against the charges. His legal team includes attorney Thomas Pavlinic of Annapolis, Md., who specializes in defending people accused of sex crimes, and attorney Max Simmons of New Haven. 

In taking the case to trial, he turned down an offer from prosecutor Theresa Anne Ferryman to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of six months in prison, followed by five years of probation and registration as a sexual offender.

A jury of six and two alternates is hearing the case, with Judge Barbara Bailey Jongbloed presiding.

State police Sgt. Albert Gosselin and Detective Christopher Greer from the Eastern District Major Crime Squad testified Monday morning about the lengthy investigation that took place after one of the alleged victims contacted police in January 2013. Gosselin said he started investigating and asked the major crime squad to get involved when it became clear the case was going to be complicated and would involve multiple witnesses from out of state.

Under cross-examination by Pavlinic, Gosselin admitted he didn't remember going to the Crossleys' home in the summer of 2012, when Crossley called about some Facebook messages he received in connection with the alleged crimes.

The young woman who testified Monday said she made a post on Mrs. Crossley's Facebook page after reading the couple would be hosting a sleepover for their daughter's soccer team. She said she used the word "pedophile" or "molester" in referencing Crossley.   

"I was scared something was going to happen to them," she said.

k.florin@theday.com