A 25-year-old man from California faces serious accusations of sexually assaulting a resident at the Brattleboro Retreat, as reported by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. Sidney Rivers was formally charged during his arraignment at the Vermont Superior Court Windsor Criminal Division. The allegations include one count of felony sexual assault and two counts associated with caregiver sexual abuse directed at a vulnerable adult.

Following his plea of not guilty, the court established bail at $1,000 and imposed restrictions preventing Rivers from contacting the complainant or continuing to work in any caregiving capacity. An investigation led by Brattleboro Police, along with the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit, uncovered the details that resulted in these charges related to Rivers’ employment at the Brattleboro Retreat, which serves as a non-profit mental health treatment facility.