Man faces new sex crime charges

A registered sex offender is facing a new charge alleging that he committed a crime similar to the one he was convicted of seven years ago.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150409/NEWS02/704099925

Man faces new sex crime charges By ERIC FRANCIS CORRESPONDENT | April 09,2015 WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A registered sex offender is facing a new charge alleging that he committed a crime similar to the one he was convicted of seven years ago. Richard Barber Jr., 38, of Springfield, pleaded innocent recently to a felony count of aggravated sexual assault after a teenage girl told school officials she had sexual relations with Barber but it “was no big deal,” according to an affidavit filed with the court. Because of his previous conviction in 2008 for sexual assault on a minor under the age of 16, if Barber were to be convicted of the new charge he would face a mandatory minimum 10-year-prison sentence and the possibility of up to life as the maximum penalty. Springfield Police Detective Anthony Moriglioni wrote in his report that the investigation began a year ago after rumors of possible sexual misconduct reached the Vermont Department for Children and Families and that the girl at the center of the investigation was able to give interviewers a detailed and graphic description of the alleged encounters. She was not, however, able to identify any specific dates or locations, the report said. Moriglioni said that when Barber was interviewed, “Richard advised this is all confusing to him, as he was never alone,” with the alleged victim. Barber said that he was on probationary supervision and since he “didn’t want to go back to jail,” he said, he wouldn’t have done anything to jeopardize his status, Moriglioni said. Moriglioni said another adult who was familiar with the situation was interviewed separately and, despite the seemingly thorough nature of the girl’s allegations, that adult also “adamantly denied that Richard could have done anything” because, the person claimed Barber was almost never alone in the girl’s presence and “there were very few chances that he could have even attempted to do anything.”