Former CT gas station clerk charged with sexually assaulting minors in exchange for vape products
A former gas station clerk in Litchfield has been arrested on sexual assault and child endangerment charges for allegedly sexually assaulting three teenage girls in exchange for free vape products, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Monir Uddin, 47, of Brooklyn, New York, turned himself in on Saturday in connection with an incident in January involving three 14-year-old girls, according to Connecticut State Police.
He faces three counts each of commercial sexual abuse of a minor, illegal sexual contact of a minor, fourth-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor, second-degree unlawful restraint and illegal sale of tobacco to a minor, state police said.
According to the warrant affidavit, state police received the report on Jan. 14 alleging that a clerk at the Citgo gas station at 199 West St. in Litchfield had made “suggestive” comments toward multiple girls and made them feel uncomfortable. When troopers spoke to the girls, they said they had gone to the gas station after hearing rumors that they could get free nicotine products from a man named “Moon” who worked there.
Portions of the girls’ interviews with police were heavily redacted before the release of the warrant affidavit.
“The rumor was that if ‘Moon’ was shown (redacted) he would provide them with free nicotine products,” state police wrote in the warrant affidavit.
One of the girls asked “Moon,” who was later identified as Uddin, if this was true and he allegedly told them yes before turning off the store’s video surveillance cameras and bringing the girls outside behind the store, the warrant affidavit said. He also allegedly took a group photo of the girls.
While in the rear of the store, the girls told police they showed Uddin what he wanted to see and told him they were done, the warrant affidavit said. At least one of the girls alleged that Uddin had touched her and that, when she tried to pull away, he pulled her closer, according to the warrant affidavit.
“He then forced us all (redacted) and when we tried to pull away from him, he wouldn’t let us,” one girl told investigators, the warrant affidavit said.
One girl alleged that Uddin got in front of the door and refused to allow them back into the store, according to the warrant affidavit.
The girls alleged that Uddin hugged them and gave them all a kiss on the cheek before making them promise they would not tell anyone about what happened, the warrant affidavit said. They were then allegedly given vape products before leaving, according to the warrant affidavit.
“It wasn’t until we were walking (redacted) that we realized what happened was wrong,” one girl told investigators.
State police wrote in the warrant affidavit that investigators believe Uddin inappropriately touched the girls, sexually assaulting them.
Following the incident, a number of the girls’ friends heard about what allegedly happened and they went to the gas station to confront Uddin later in the day, the warrant affidavit said. During the confrontation, which was recorded by one of the friends, Uddin allegedly admitted to selling nicotine products to underage customers and allegedly admitted that he knew they were only 14 years old, the warrant affidavit said. He apologized multiple times during the encounter and refused to answer when confronted about the sexual assault allegations, the warrant affidavit said.
State police interviewed Uddin on Feb. 24 at the Troop L barracks in Litchfield with the assistance of a Bengali translator. During the interview, Uddin said students who he believed were 17 or 18 would often visit the gas station and that he would sometimes text them, according to the warrant affidavit.
Uddin initially said he did not sell the girls any vape products before reportedly admitting that he had bought the items and gave them to the teens, the warrant affidavit said. He also reportedly admitted to hugging them but denied the sexual assault allegations.
Uddin told investigators he believed the girls were trying to frame him because they asked him about CBD products and he said he could not get them, the warrant affidavit said.
Uddin also said his boss asked him not to work until the investigation was concluded and that, since the incident, he had moved to Brooklyn.
After turning himself in, Uddin was initially held on a $85,000 bond and arraigned Monday in Torrington Superior Court. A judge reduced his bail to $50,000, which he later posted, court records show.
Uddin is scheduled to appear in court again on May 16.