Serial rapist pleads not guilty in attack at Plum Island park

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November 17, 2009

By Julie Manganis The Gloucester Daily Times Tue Nov 17, 2009, 05:45 AM EST

IPSWICH — The serial rapist accused of trying to rape a jogger on Plum Island in September pleaded not guilty at his arraignment yesterday in Salem Superior Court.

Scott Gagnon, 51, of Tewksbury was indicted last month in the Sept. 28 incident, which occurred at the southern tip of Plum Island in Ipswich.

If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

A woman jogging at the Sandy Point State Reservation told police that Gagnon had grabbed her and took her to the ground as she struggled to get away. She did eventually get away from him and ran, and found two other men who drove her to a security gate house to report the incident.

Gagnon, who spent 27 years in prison for a series of rapes in Essex County in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was released in 2007 after two experts and a review panel found that he had been cured of his compulsion to sexually attack women. While in custody, Gagnon, who had been convicted in five cases, admitted to at least 20 other rapes, according to court papers.

Just a week before the attempted rape allegation, Gagnon was arrested by Haverhill police in a prostitution sting. He was released after agreeing to pay a $500 fine.

Gagnon has been held without bail since his arrest in the Plum Island case. Yesterday, prosecutor Gerald Shea asked a Salem Superior Court judge to maintain that status.

Judge Timothy Feeley agreed to continue holding Gagnon pending a dangerousness hearing on Dec. 1.

Shea said he expects to submit police reports and grand jury minutes to the judge but is not planning to call witnesses for that hearing, saying he believes the documents support his contention that Gagnon is too dangerous to release.

Julie Manganis may be contacted at jmanganis@gloucestertimes.com