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A man has been arrested on child rape charges involving allegations that took place in Rutland, Massachusetts, over several years, police said Tuesday.
Shawn Baillargeon, a 54-year-old Rutland resident, was arrested Tuesday morning by state and local police, the town's police department announced. He faces charges including aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Police didn't share details on the nature of the allegations beyond that they were reported on May 30 and involved more than one complaint and multiple victims, though it wasn't clear how many.
"The Rutland Police Department would like to commend the bravery of the victims in this case who came forward. We encourage all victims of sexual abuse to come forward, and we promise to do everything in our power to offer support," Rutland police said in a statement.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
Baillargeon was taken to East Brookfield District Court to be arraigned. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney who could speak to the charges.
