An Old Lyme man has pleaded no contest to contacting his former girlfriend and pressuring her to recant her statement that he had repeatedly raped her on Jan. 1, 2020.

Anthony L. LaCoursiere, 29, will be sentenced Oct. 29 in New London Superior Court to five years in prison followed by five years of probation for tampering with a witness and violation of a protective order.

LaCoursiere has been held at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution since the 21-year-old woman told state police detectives that LaCoursiere raped her repeatedly, rammed her car, strangled her until she passed out and urinated on her during a prolonged attack.

Prosecutor Theresa M. Ferryman said the state is not able to go forward on charges related to the sexual assault because of the way the case has changed since LaCoursiere's arrest.

According to documents and statements made in court, the alleged victim contacted the state's attorney's office at the end of March to say that she fabricated the story because she was angry that LaCoursiere had broken up with her. After recanting her statement, she eventually "unrecanted," and said the crimes did occur.

Following his arrest, a judge ordered LaCoursiere to have no contact with the woman, even through a third party. State police said that during recorded phone calls from prison, LaCoursiere told a man named James Sullivan to contact the victim, "act like you're concerned for her" and tell her LaCoursiere doesn't hate her. Under a court-issued protective order, he is prohibited from contacting the victim in any way, including through a third party.

The state police allege LaCoursiere provided a letter instructing the victim on what to say to investigators.

They said LaCoursiere convinced his mother to allow the woman to move in with her to make it look as if everything was fine, and that the mother put the woman on the phone with LaCoursiere when he called from prison on March 28.

As part of his plea deal, LaCoursiere's attorney, Bryan P. Fiengo of the Suisman Shapiro law firm, has the opportunity to argue, at sentencing, for a shorter prison term.

LaCoursiere is a registered sex offender, having been convicted of sexually assaulting a juvenile in 2009 and received a 52-month prison sentence followed by 10 years of probation. He was found guilty of violation of probation in 2016.

In 2011, LaCoursiere served 18 months in prison for stabbing a 17-year-old boy.

k.florin@theday.com