Manchester Man Gets 5 to 20 Years in Vermont for Sex Crimes Against Minors

The office of Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell announced Wednesday that , a 58-year old Manchester resident, was sentenced yesterday in a Vermont Superior Court room to a total of five to 20 years in prison on five counts of sexual assault against two underage girls. 

Grasso was convicted of sexual assault on a minor; two counts of lewd or lascivious conduct with a child; and two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct.

According to court documents, Grasso's offenses involved two underage girls and occurred between 1993 and 2003. Grasso was convicted of sexually assaulting one of the victims, a child under the age of 16, between 1998 and 2003 in Springfield, Vermont. He was also convicted of lewd or lascivious conduct with a child and lewd and lascivious conduct stemming from incidents that occurred with another minor during weekend visits to Springfield, Peru and Perkinsville over the course of five years from 1998 to 2003.  

According to a statement released by Sorrell's office, Judge Patricia M. Zimmerman referred to Grasso as a “predator” and a “coward” upon handing down the sentence. Zimmerman noted that Grasso used his power and influence over the two girls to gain their trust then engaged in a “planned, systematic betrayal of that trust.”

Grasso was previously convicted of sexual offenses in Connecticut and is currently serving a 15 year sentence in Connecticut on those charges, according to Sorrell's office. His Vermont sentence will run concurrent to his Connecticut sentence.