[A] Burlington man who was behind bars for 17 years for “lewd and lascivious conduct with a child” has been charged with six felony counts for possession of child pornography.
Sean Guillette, 54, was found with more than 100 images and videos on his cellphone depicting children as young as infants involved in sex acts, according to a press release from the Burlington Police Department. The phone was turned over by a third party, and a search warrant was obtained.
Detective Tom Chenette, the case’s investigator, said each picture can result in an individual charge, but that typically, charges are filed for five or six of the most egregious images — each of which can carry a 15-year maximum sentence.
Guillette was arraigned Monday in Chittenden Superior Court and released on the conditions that he not have contact with minors age 16 or under, not access the internet or possess devices that allow access to the internet, and not loiter in places where children congregate, “including but not limited to parks, schools, and playgrounds.”
The release noted that Guillette is homeless. But Chenette said sex offenders registering as homeless can be a kind of loophole to avoid listing an address. He said Guillette did provide an address where he could receive mail to the court. Chenette said he doesn’t know whether Guillette is homeless or not, though he suggested he might be living in his car.
Police do not yet know if any of the victims depicted in the images are local, as the investigation is still ongoing. Guillette’s prior offenses were in 1991 and 1999, involving 10- and 11-year old girls.
After his release in 2016, Guillette was no longer supervised by the Vermont Department of Corrections, as he had maxed out his sentence in prison. He was considered “high risk” because he did not participate in treatment. His release prompted a community meeting in Essex Junction that drew more than 100 concerned community members.
“And clearly,” Chenette said, “he’s still targeting children of that age.”
