On January 4, the Newtown Police Department Detective Bureau arrested Richard Neal, 69, of Newtown, after Danbury Superior Court issued a warrant for his arrest. Neal's arrest stemmed from an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with an individual, who at the time was a juvenile. Neal had been arrested earlier in 2023 for a similar offense.

Neal was charged with second-degree sexual assault with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15, second-degree sexual assault, and illegal sexual contact with a victim under the age of 16.

Neal was held on a $100,000 bail, and was issued a court date of January 5 at Danbury Superior Court.

Neal’s previous arrest on August 23 came as the result of an investigation into his relationship with a juvenile student, to whom he provided music lessons. Once the inappropriate relationship became known, Newtown Police Detective Chelsea Harold, with the assistance of the Newtown Police Patrol Division, immediately began an investigation, which included numerous interviews and the execution of several search and seizure warrants.

In that case, Neal was charged with three counts of second-degree sexual assault, three counts of delivering alcohol to a minor, three counts of enticing a minor by computer, and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

Neal is awaiting pre-trial in that case, with a court date of January 16.