Man to serve four years for attempted rape in East Lyme boarding house
A 55-year-old man was sentenced in New London Superior Court on Wednesday to four years in prison for breaking into a room at a Niantic boarding house in April 2015 and attempting to sexually assault a sleeping woman.
Michael J. Strand, who also lived at the boarding house, had pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree sexual assault.
Upon his release from prison, he will be on special parole for six years and will be required to register as a sex offender. He is prohibited for life from having contact with the victim.
Strand, who has been held in lieu of $99,000 since June 2015, chose to remain silent when he stood before Judge Hillary B. Strackbein for sentencing.
“It was an incomplete assault and my client is very remorseful,” said his attorney, Linda J. Sullivan. “It happened when he was in an alcoholic blackout. He has no propensity to do this. I believe his regret is sincere, and he is in fact horrified by this.”
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the victim reported to East Lyme police that she woke up at approximately 2 a.m. to find Strand, who also was staying at the boarding house, on top of her.
She said Strand told her, using crude language, that he was going to have sex with her and began tugging at her pajamas. She said she was able to push him to the floor and break free.
As she reached the door, another resident who heard the commotion came into the room, according to the affidavit.
The woman said she had locked her door before going to sleep, but police said there was no sign of forced entry into the room.
The next day, the woman sought treatment at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for rib contusions, according to the affidavit.
She said Strand apologized to her several times, once getting very close to her, and she decided to go to the police.
Strand, confronted by police, said he didn’t know what happened because he had consumed a large amount of alcohol and tends to black out when he drinks a lot.
Prosecutor Lawrence J. Tytla said it was a disturbing incident.
“This is something neither the criminal justice system nor society can allow to happen,” Tytla said.
