Grand Jury Indicts Whitinsville Man
By Telegram & Gazette Staff
Originally published in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, June 16, 2001
NORTHBRIDGE — A Worcester County grand jury yesterday returned an 80-count indictment against Peter M. Gagnon, the 48-year-old Whitinsville man accused of drugging, raping and videotaping his teen-age daughter's friends at sleepover parties.
The indictments charge Mr. Gagnon with rape of a child (two counts), unnatural rape of a child (21 counts), indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 (25 counts), indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over (four counts), drugging a person for purposes of sexual intercourse (11 counts), posing a child in sexual conduct (16 counts), and posing a child in a state of nudity (one count).
Mr. Gagnon allegedly assaulted the six females, who were between the ages of 10 and 14, during a five-month period at the condominium he shared with his daughter, according to officials. Police believe Mr. Gagnon drugged the girls and sexually assaulted them while they slept.
On May 19, Mr. Gagnon's daughter went to Northbridge police and made allegations against him, and provided police with a dozen videotapes, including some allegedly showing him sexually abusing her friends during sleepovers.
A warrant for Mr. Gagnon's arrest was issued in Uxbridge District Court on May 25. At that time the warrant alleged 38 counts of rape and indecent assault and battery.
Mr. Gagnon remains at large, and is believed to have fled the state. Local and state police are continuing their investigation, assisted by federal law enforcement agencies.
Mr. Gagnon, formerly of 139 Heritage Drive, Whitinsville, was raised in the area and left to pursue a career in the U.S. Marine Corps that spanned more than 20 years. He returned to Whitinsville three years ago and had been working as a taxi driver. His daughter came to live with him six months ago. She is now in the custody of her mother in Mississippi.
Mr. Gagnon lived in both South Carolina and Mississippi before moving back to Whitinsville. An official with the Ocean Springs Police Department in Mississippi said there were at least five complaints filed against Mr. Gagnon, dating back to 1996. The most serious of the complaints was indecent exposure.
