A former University of Bridgeport swim coach has had a one-year jail sentence suspended, taking two years of probation after pleading guilty to third degree assault and violation of a protective order.
Sean Raffile was originally arrested in March, while he was still coaching his college team, for ‘risk of injury to a child’ and third degree assault. He was arrested again in April for violating a protective order, then again in August for the same offense, then in September for both violation of protective order and first degree stalking, and finally once more in October for another violation of a protective order.
Here’s a chronological look at the arrests:
- March 1: Arrested for risk of injury to child and third degree assault occurring on March 1 (later pleaded guilty to assault, no plea to risk of injury)
- April 7: Arrested for violation of protective order occurring on April 7 (later pleaded guilty)
- August 15: Arrested for violation of protective order occurring on July 29 (later pleaded not guilty)
- September 7: Arrested for violation of protective order and first degree stalking occurring on September 7 (later pleaded not guilty)
- October 4: Arrested for violation of protective order occurring on September 5
Raffile ultimately pleaded guilty to the March 1 third degree assault, as well as the April 7 violation of protective order. The other charges no longer appear on the Connecticut state court website. The state court site lists Raffile’s sentence as two years of probation, noting that a one-year jail sentence was suspended for the probation. That means Raffile could face that year in prison if he violates his probation.
Raffile was officially sentenced on January 3.
Was he stalking a woman or man?
Based on the pattern of violating protective orders despite knowing the consequences, I’d say there’s no way he makes it through the whole two years.
On a less cynical note, he clearly has problems and I hope he gets the help he needs in order to not be a threat to children.