Community Corner
Sonoma Developmental Center Tech Changes Plea
Long time hospital employee, 53, allegedly committed lewd act offense on May 25 with a 39-year-old woman who has the mental capacity of a 4-year-old
A longtime psychiatric technician at the pleaded no contest Friday morning in Sonoma County Superior Court to committing a lewd act with a developmentally disabled patient last month.
He had entered a at an earlier hearing.
Rue LeRoy Denoncourt, 53, of Sonoma, allegedly committed the offense on May 25 with a 39-year-old woman with the mental capacity of a 4-year-old in a bathroom at the center at 15000 Arnold Drive in Eldridge north of Sonoma, Sonoma County sheriff's Detective Cecile Focha said.
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Judge Rene Chouteau indicated he will sentence Denoncourt to eight months in county jail and three years' probation on Aug. 9. Denoncourt also will be required to register as a sex offender.
Sheriff's deputies responded to a around 7:30 p.m. on May 25. Another employee at the center witnessed the incident and informed the center's police department, Focha said. Police then called the sheriff's office.
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Denoncourt voluntarily surrendered his psychiatric technician's license and resigned from his job at the center, where he had worked for 27 years.
A criminal protective order signed by the judge prohibits Denoncourt from contacting the victim. The victim remains in the care of the center, Focha said.
Denoncourt posted bail and is out of custody. He was charged with commission of a lewd and lascivious act by a caretaker upon a dependent adult.
The Sonoma Developmental Center is a residential facility that provides acute, nursing and intermediate care to people with .
