A 40-year-old Bridgeport man is accused of sexually assaulting three women at a residential treatment facility for people with substance dependence and psychiatric disorders where he worked as a janitor.
In June, police responded to the New Prospects – Recovery Network of Programs, at 392 Prospect St., to investigate reports that the janitor had sexually assaulted several female clients.
The allegations were reported to police by staff at the facility.
Police interviewed three victims, who said Rafael Cartagena, of Bridgeport, had sexually assaulted them while they were clients at the facility, police said.
One victim said Cartagena started blowing kisses and making inappropriate comments, then sexually assaulted her in her room, police said.
Another victim said Cartagena assaulted her in her room and threatened that he would come back if she said anything and that it would be “10 times worse,” according to police.
When police spoke with Cartagena on Aug. 4, he denied having any sexual encounters with any women, declined to submit to a DNA test and said he’d never entered clients’ rooms when they were present.
When police said there was video security to the contrary, Cartagena told police he had a “lust problem” and “fell” to “temptation.”
He was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault and four counts of fourth-degree sexual assault.
