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Man, 80, arraigned on child rape charges, was reportedly town official, lawyer for Mass. Dems
Robert LeBlanc is facing child rape and indecent assault charges.
An 80-year-old Methuen man was arraigned Wednesday in Superior Court on charges of child rape and indecent assault, authorities announced.
Robert LeBlanc is charged with rape of a child; indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older; and attempt to commit crime – indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or older, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment in Salem.
An attorney, LeBlanc served as town manager in Methuen from 1976 until 1981 and also worked as a lawyer for the Massachusetts Democratic party, The Eagle-Tribune reports.
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According to the newspaper, LeBlanc previously was accused of stalking and inappropriate behavior. He was reportedly banned from the campus of Greater Lawrence Technical School in 2005 after he allegedly followed and propositioned a student.
On Wednesday, LeBlanc was ordered to stay away from and have no contact with any victim or witness in the case and have no unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18.
An attorney for LeBlanc declined to comment on the case on Wednesday evening.
He will return to court for a pretrial hearing on May 20.
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