East Haven man convicted of sexual assault, officials say

NEW HAVEN — An East Haven man was sentenced Wednesday to a minimum of 10 years in prison for sexually abusing two children who were younger than 10 at the time of the incident, the state Department of Criminal Justice said.

Judge Gerald Harmon sentenced 36-year-old Christian Lorig to 20 years in prison. The sentence will be suspended after serving 10 years, followed by 10 years of probation for sex offenders, the DCJ said in a press release on Friday.

Lorig pleaded guilty in April to two counts of second-degree sexual assault and two counts of endangering a minor. The DCJ said the facts of the confession included allegations that Lorig sexually abused two children under the age of 10 between 2015 and 2019. The assaults occurred in Branford, East Haven and Ledyard, according to the DCJ.

The victims and their families were present at the verdict on Wednesday and spoke there, the DCJ said.

New Haven District Attorney John P. Doyle said his office was grateful for the partnership with police and child welfare officials, who were “all committed to stopping these cruel acts against the most vulnerable and ensuring that perpetrators of our children are held accountable.”

East Haven police arrested Lorig on May 30, 2018, and again on August 20, 2019, for sexual assault. In the August 2019 case, he was originally charged with first-degree assault, fourth-degree sexual assault, and two counts of endangering a child.

Anyone who has been a victim of sexual violence can contact specialists for support, information, advice, or a referral. To do so, call the free and confidential National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Anyone who would like to chat with trained specialists online, which is also free and confidential, can also visit RAINN.org/Get-Help. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.