WORCESTER, Mass. — A North Brookfield man charged with drugging young boys and molesting them plead guilty to 33 counts of child abuse on Monday afternoon.
In Worcester Superior Court, Paul Menard pleaded guilty to 33 counts of child abuse after witness testimonies and evidence showed Menard would not only drug and rape his victims, but he also kept video recordings of the sexual assaults, where often times his victims were unconscious. He admitted to sexually assaulting four teenage boys inside his home.
Menard would gain the trust of a family by getting close to the victims’ parents first, and then invite his victims over for parties and posed as an innocent family friend.
“He was like an uncle who threw parties when new Xbox games came out, pool parties in the summer, and snowboard parties in the winter,” said the mother of one of the victims. “[He was] our best friend, we trusted him like a brother, [but] obviously, he had a hidden agenda. I’ve watched my son go from a happy go lucky kid to a child who has dealt with severe physical and emotional issues throughout puberty.”
Prosecutors said this is one of the most shocking child abuse cases they have ever seen.
“This is probably one of the most egregious and serious child abuse cases that the Commonwealth has seen,” said Prosecutor Linda Pashou. “It was discovered that the defendant had filmed himself posing with these males in a state of nudity and performing sexual acts while unconscious.”
Outside court, the mother of one of the victims talked Boston 25 News Reporter Bob Ward off camera and asked to remain anonymous. She said she and her husband trusted Menard, and allowed him to watch their son.
According to her, Menard is “the worst kind of offender,” because he “uses families to get to the children.”
Menard will spend the next fifteen to twenty years in prison, but the victim’s mother says she wishes it was longer. According to the judge, since Menard is in his 50s, this is close to a life sentence.
“He doesn’t deserve to see the light of day ever again,” said the victim’s mother.
The mother says her son is now 21-years-old and living out of state with a full-time job. She says he’s committed to living life to the fullest and does not want to let this case define him.
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