A former carnival worker convicted of raping and tying up a woman in Auburn nearly 20 years ago has been designated as a Level 3 sexually violent offender in Cayuga County Court just days before his conditional release.
Scott Barrieau, 53, formerly of Arundel, Maine, was given that risk level by Judge Thomas Leone in court on Thursday. The Level 3 designation indicates that there is a “high risk of repeat offense and a threat to public safety exists,” according to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.
In 2004, Barrieau pleaded guilty in court to first-degree rape and first-degree robbery, both class B felonies, second-degree robbery, a class C felony, and first-degree unlawful imprisonment, a class E felony. He was sentenced to a prison term ranging from 19 2/3 to 23 years.
During his assessment on Thursday, Barrieau’s attorney challenged the claim that Barrieau had been a stranger to the attacked woman before the assault. The Assistant District Attorney, Heather De Stefano, argued that the victim had stated that she had not known Barrieau. Leone ultimately designated Barrieau as a Level 3 sex offender and a sexually violent offender.
According to The Citizen archives, the Auburn Police Department responded to a report of robbery and sexual assault at Mac’s Tavern on State Street in early July 2003. Barrieau was the only patron in the establishment at the time. He grabbed the female bartender from behind, pulled her to the floor, and then dragged her to a back storage room where he tied her up and sexually assaulted her. The woman was able to free herself and call for help. Barrieau was also accused of stealing $282 from the bar’s cash register.
De Stefano described Barrieau’s attack as a “brutal, brutal, brutal sexual assault,” adding, “This is every woman’s worst nightmare.”
Barrieau is currently in custody at Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome and is set for a conditional release on March 13. With the Level 3 designation, he will be required to register as a sex offender for life and will be subject to strict community supervision. The public can access his information on the New York State Sex Offender Registry.
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