Stratford man charged with committing indecent acts to stand trial twice next month

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes graphic details that may be upsetting to readers

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A Stratford man accused of voyeurism, arson and indecent acts pleaded guilty to a pair of lesser charges Monday while trial dates were being set for the more serious allegations.

Greg Verellen, 45, appeared in a virtual Stratford courtroom Monday from the Stratford Jail, where he and defense lawyer Nicholas Wansbutter confirmed Verellen would stand trial for charges stemming from two separate incidents earlier this year. On Nov. 16, Verellen will be tried on charges of arson and committing an indecent act stemming from an incident overnight Jan. 19 to Jan. 20. Then, on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, he will be tried on charges of committing an indecent act, voyeurism, two counts of breaching a probation order and drug possession stemming from an incident on March 17.

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In a press release issued on March 20, Stratford police said officers had arrested and charged Verellen with committing an indecent act, voyeurism, two counts of breaching probation and possession of a controlled substance after officers were called to a home on Forman Avenue on the night of March 17 when a man was allegedly caught masturbating while peeping through the home’s window.

At the time, police said the man was reportedly seen by two teenage girls who were inside the home with a toddler. Police said the homeowner, after calling police, confronted the man, who then fled. The homeowner followed the man to the area of ​​the Stratford General Hospital, where the suspect was tracked by police to a property on West Gore Street and arrested. The man was allegedly found in possession of 1.5 grams of methamphetamine.

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Stratford police media relations officer Const. Darren Fischer also told the Beacon Herald at the time that Verellen had previously been charged with arson from an incident on Jan. 19 and committing an indecent act from a Jan. 20 allegation. He said those charges stem from a dumpster fire allegedly set by Verellen on the night of Jan. 19.

Fischer alleged Verellen was caught on security camera setting the initial fire, which was quickly extinguished by Stratford firefighters. Then, after midnight on Jan. 20, Verellen returned to the dumpster and reportedly tried to reignite the fire before jumping inside and allegedly masturbating, all of which Fischer said was again captured on security camera.

On Monday, Verellen also pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of a probation order set by a judge last fall prohibiting him from being within 50 meters of 230 Britannia St. in Stratford and breaching a court order not to communicate with a specific person.

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According to the statement of facts read before the court by prosecutor Elizabeth Wilson, the breach-of-probation charge was laid on Jan. 20 after Verellen, wearing a shirt but no pants, was found by construction workers at 200 Britannia St. – located less than 50 meters away from 230 Britannia St. – shortly before 8 am The construction workers called police and Verellen was arrested.

The other charge was laid on May 12. Verellen, who had previously been released from police custody on a condition he have no contact with a woman he had previously had a relationship with, was seen with that woman by a police officer in a wooded area near John Street South, and was arrested by that officer and charged with breach of undertaking.

After accepting his guilty pleas and a joint sentencing submission from Wansbutter and Wilson, Justice Kathryn McKerlie sentenced Verellen to the equivalent of 60 days in jail. Having already served more than that time in pre-sentence custody, he will only serve one more day for those offenses.

As Verellen, who told the court Monday he is homeless, is already bound by the conditions of a three-year probation order, McKerlie did not impose another probation order as part of his sentence.

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