A Milton man is accused of sexually assaulting a child more than a decade ago at his home and another child more recently on a school bus he drove for the South Burlington School District.
Jerry Normandin, 62, pleaded not guilty Friday in Chittenden County Superior criminal court in Burlington to two sexual assault counts and one charge of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child. He was released on conditions, including that he stay away from children under 18 years old.
As he left court Friday, Normandin refused comment on the charges. If convicted of the charges, Normandin faces up to life in prison.
According to charging documents released Friday after Normandin’s arraignment, on July 9, the Milton Police Department referred a case to the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigation about allegations of sexual assault of a 10-year-old boy about 15 years ago. A man, now 25 years old, told authorities Normandin had sexually assaulted him when he was a child, the documents said.
The man reported that the assaults took place inside Normandin’s home in Milton and often after he had done work around Normandin’s home. The man told police the assaults occurred in an office room next to Normandin’s bedroom and in the bedroom.
The man also told police Normandin assaulted him at least twice when he was about 10 years old and again when he was about 12 or 13 years old, Detective Michael Chistolini wrote in an affidavit.
As detectives were investigating that case, the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigation was contacted July 23 by the South Burlington Police Department about a report that a 15-year-old boy had been repeatedly sexually abused by the boy’s bus driver, Normandin.
The South Burlington School District placed Normandin on paid administrative leave immediately after becoming aware of the allegations, the police affidavit stated. Detective Daniel Boyer, along with a family services worker from the state Department for Children and Families, began investigating.
The boy reported that, while in the bus, Normandin would touch the boy’s penis, the affidavit stated. The boy has a developmental disability and Normandin drove the minivan that took him home from school, and that’s when the sexual contact took place, according to the affidavit.
Normandin, questioned by detectives Thursday, denied engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with the child 15 years ago and the other child more recently, the affidavit stated. He was arrested Thursday in both cases and released on conditions, awaiting his Friday arraignment.
David Young, the South Burlington school superintendent, issued a statement Thursday about the allegations.
“An employee of the district was arrested today for misconduct with minor children,” Young stated. “When the district became aware of the allegations on July 23, 2021, we immediately removed the employee from the workplace, placing him on paid administrative [leave].”
At that time, the statement added, an investigation started and a report was filed with the state Department for Children and Families.
“I cannot identify the employee involved or discuss the specifics of the allegations against the employee because of confidentiality laws,” Young wrote. He added that the district performs “comprehensive background checks on all employees” before they are hired.
Young could not be reached Friday afternoon to answer questions, including how long Normandin worked for the district and what positions he has held.
Normandin, in speaking to detectives Thursday, told them he has worked for the district in “various jobs” for about 13 years, according to the affidavit.
