Sex offender violates probation by engaging in 'deviant' activities

LITCHFIELD -- A man who was convicted of first-degree sexual assault in the 1996 appeared in Litchfield Superior Court on Tuesday for a violation of probation.

Richard J. Gschlecht, a.k.a. Michelle Lynn Gschlecht, 42, 645 Grand Avenue, New Haven, was sentenced to seven years in jail followed by 15 years probation after being convicted of first-degree sexual assault and risk of injury in August 1996. The defendant sexually assaulted two 8-year-old girls, one of which was his step-daughter, the affidavit stated.

In Nov. 2002, Gschlecht was discharged from the Department of Corrections and his probationary period began. Throughout that month, he reviewed and signed the standard conditions of his probation as well as the sex offender conditions of his probation. He was ordered to notify probation of a change of address, undergo sex offender evaluation and treatment, seek and maintain full-time employment, have no contact with the victims and have no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16, according to the warrant.

Court documents indicate that in May 2004, a Litchfield Superior Court Judge revoked his previous sentence and imposed a new sentence of seven years in prison followed by 33 years probation after he violated his probation. The basis of this violation was his possession of a home computer, pornography, infant furniture - a high chair and an infant cradle -- children's clothing, toys, magazines and pictures of underage females dressed in underwear, according to the affidavit.

Through an investigation, it was learned that Gschlecht was renting a storage garage. A search of the garage turned up more children's furniture, pornographic magazines, 10-15 adult videos and various children's clothing items. A review of one video revealed Gschlecht in a role play with another sex offender where Gschlecht was dressed as a baby girl wearing diapers and using a baby bottle, according to the affidavit. Gschlecht was discharged from sex offender treatment because of his new violation behavior.

On Aug. 6 Gschlecht was released from prison and he signed and acknowledged the standard and special terms of his probation. He also signed and agreed to follow the Computer Access Agreement, Electronic Monitoring Agreement and Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring forms. Two weeks later, Gschlecht's probation officer received a treatment update from the Sex Offender Day Reporting Program (SODRP). The update informed the officer that Gschlecht was wearing diapers to the program and changed them several times a day. Gschlecht's probation officer reported the reason for him using diapers was because of a botched medical procedure while in prison, but Gschlecht later admitted that was not true.

"It was learned that he was not wearing them for health issues, but because he had a fetish," said Senior Assistant State's Attorney Terri Sonnemann.

The affidavit indicates that on Aug. 20, Gschlecht provided a letter to his probation officer from the University of Connecticut Health Center that dated back to 2005. The letter stated that Gschlecht complained of urinary inconsistence while incarcerated and he was seen by at least three doctors. It was concluded that the defendant suffers from "Pedophilia Transvestic Fetishism" among other behaviors and fantasies associated with childhood when confronted with demands of adult heterosexuality and severe stress.

Gschlecht's probation officer learned that after he was released into the community, Gschlecht has been engaging in high risk behaviors. Specifically, he has accessed Web sites and engaged in other behaviors that support his deviant sexual interests, according to documentation.

Court documents indicate that Gschlecht struggled with dynamic risk factors such as cognitive distortions, viewing oneself as low risk, deviant sexual preference, noncompliance with community supervision, noncompliance with treatment and lack of community support.

Gschlecht's probation officer said he was not fit for outpatient treatment because he had violated the standard and special conditions of his probation, including the sex offender conditions and computer access agreement, through his own actions. Gschlecht was ordered to participate in treatment, refrain from possessing or subscribing to any sexually stimulating material, refrain from possessing children's clothing, toys or games without the permission of his probation officer and to refrain from accessing any Web-site that contains sexually explicit material, according to documentation.

Gschlecht's arrest warrant was signed by the Judge and prosecuting authorities in Sept. and he was finally arrested by the New Haven Police on Sept. 23. Gschlecht remains in custody on a $175,000 bond. He had his case continued until Feb. 1 for sentencing.

Chris Rueli can be reached by e-mail at crueli@registercitizen.com. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/registercitizen