Litchfield store clerk accused of sexually assaulting minors, state police say

Apr. 23—LITCHFIELD — A Litchfield store clerk is facing multiple sexual assault charges after an encounter in January with three 14-year-old girls, according to an arrest warrant.

Monir Uddin, 47, of New York, was arrested Saturday on numerous charges including three counts of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, three counts of illegal sexual contact with a minor, three counts of risk of injury to a minor, three counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, three counts of second-degree unlawful restraint and three counts of illegal sale of a minor.

Uddin, whom the girls knew as "Moon," came under suspicion after they reported to state police on Jan. 14 that he had made them uncomfortable, kissed them and offered them free vape products at his job at the Citgo gas station on West Street, the warrant said.

He told the girls before they left not to tell anyone about what happened, according to the warrant. The girls were so distraught about the incident that they were shaking when a trooper from Troop L arrived at the location where they had called police, the warrant said.

Each of the girls told officers that they felt trapped and that Uddin led them out of the back of the store for some activity and then refused to allow them to go back in to escape, according to the warrant. Many portions of the warrant discussing what Uddin is accused of doing were redacted by state police.

He kissed and hugged each one before giving them the vape products and at some point during the incident begged them to allow him to take their photo, according to the warrant.

State police learned that a group of juveniles heard about what happened to the girls and returned to the store to confront Uddin on video. They obtained a copy of the video, which started with Uddin admitting to selling nicotine products to children and saying he won't do it again, according to the warrant. It then showed the juveniles questioning Uddin, asking if he was sorry and "did you do this."

Uddin repeatedly said that he was sorry in the video but did not give a reply when asked if he did what the girls had alleged, the warrant states. He told the juveniles that all he did was take a selfie with the girls, according to the warrant.

State police interviewed Uddin in February, and at that point he admitted to hugging the girls and giving them vapes, the warrant said. He said going outside was the girls' idea and they went out only to talk about the vape and CBD products they were looking for, the warrant states.

When they got back inside, he gave them vapes and paid with his own credit card because the girls were going to pay him back later, according to the warrant.

Uddin said the girls may have made up the allegations against him because he wouldn't sell them the products they wanted, the warrant states.

Uddin turned himself in on April 20 and he is now free after posting $50,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Litchfield on May 16.

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