Mitchell man, 78, charged with engaging in sexual contact with infant relative
Nov. 6—MITCHELL — A Mitchell man is facing criminal allegations that he engaged in sexual contact while babysitting his nine-month-old relative.
Ronald Lafortune, 78, could now be facing up to 15 years in prison and $30,000 in fines after being charged with sexual contact with a child under 16, a Class 3 felony.
A trial has been set for February 2024 after Lafortune pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Tuesday, Oct. 24.
A Mitchell Police Division report in court documents alleges that on the night of Sept. 19, Lafortune had engaged in "initiating certain contact of a sexual nature" with his 9 month-old relative, while babysitting the infant. According to court documents, after the child's father checked the baby monitor after leaving the house, he noticed Lafortune repeatedly initiating explicit contact with the child, described as having gone on for approximately a minute long.
When the child's father then "realized what was happening in the video he spoke through the camera to get it to stop," court documents describe; he then made Lafortune leave the residence.
He has pleaded not guilty in a written arraignment. Court documents report that during the investigation, Lafortune admitted to having committed the acts for his own "gratification."
He also stated that this was the only time that this had occurred, court documents indicate; no other crimes of a sexual nature show up on Lafortune's record in a search of South Dakota court records.
