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The Daily News

Police: Rape suspect a drifter who targeted underage girls

By Scott DeSmit sdesmit@batavianews.com | 

When Raymond E. Allard arrived in Western New York in November he had, allegedly, one thing on his mind.

He was a drifter, coming to Genesee County by way of Florida and Massachusetts, two states where he told police he lived. He didn’t work and while returning to Massachusetts from Florida met a woman and her daughter on a bus.

He struck up a friendship with the mother.

“They were coming back here. He decided to go see her,” Genesee County Sheriff’s Juvenile Investigator John Dehm said.

Allard, 27, began a relationship with the mother, Dehm said.

Dehm became aware of Allard in December while investigating “an unrelated complaint.”

“There were signs that things weren’t right,” Dehm said. “I became suspicious.”

Those suspicions apparently were correct.

Allard last week was charged in a 65-count indictment accusing him of having a sexual relationship not only with the woman’s daughter but one of the daughter’s friends, both under 15 years old.

“This is the largest indictment I’ve ever had against somebody,” Dehm said. “He was a real trickster.”

Allard would lie to the victim’s mother, saying he had a job but in reality “didn’t pay for one cent of anything during their relationship,” Dehm said.

He befriended both girls and gained their confidence, he said.

“He groomed them,” Dehm said. “Everything I found out about the guy was that he was a very nice, cordial, polite guy. But the signs were there.”

Dehm interviewed Allard after he discovered that Allard had been arrested in Batavia on April 18 and charged with trespassing and harassment.

An investigation led to a single rape charge filed against Allard, followed by the massive indictment.

He is now charged with 51 counts of second-degree rape and 14 counts of second-degree criminal sexual act. All the charges involve both girls.

Dehm said he also is investigating a complaint from another girl, one that likely will lead to a  misdemeanor forcible touching charge.

Allard remains in Genesee County Jail pending arraignment next week in County Court.http://thedailynewsonline.com/news/article_fa45f5e8-8754-11e0-8028-001cc4c03286.html?mode=image&photo=0