Barrington police charged a 19-year-old Pawtucket man with sexual assault-first degree stemming from an incident that took place at Barrington Town Beach in late July.

Police said Luis D. Romero sexually assaulted a 14-year-old Pawtucket girl inside a tent that he had put up on the town beach on Wednesday morning, July 26. Barrington police did not learn about the incident initially, as the victim first filed a report with Pawtucket police. Investigators there shared the case with East Providence police, as they thought the assault took place in that town. 

East Providence investigators later discovered that the alleged assault occurred at Barrington Town Beach.

Barrington Police Chief John LaCross said Mr. Romero and the victim arrived at the town beach early in the morning and checked in at the beach attendant's station. There is a $10 fee for non-residents to use the beach

Mr. Romero and the 14-year-old girl then reportedly set up a tent on the beach and began drinking wine inside the tent. Police said Mr. Romero began touching the girl and then assaulted her while inside the tent.

Police said the girl told Mr. Romero to take her home immediately or she would call police. He reportedly brought her back to her Pawtucket home, and her parents brought her to a hospital. 

Chief LaCross credited his detectives for their work on the case, and also praised the effort of the Barrington Park and Recreation Department. Officials there were able to recall the day Mr. Romero put up a tent at the beach and then checked the sign-in sheet; the Pawtucket man's name was listed on the sheet.

"That put him at the beach that day," said Chief LaCross. 

Mr. Romero turned himself into police on Thursday, Aug. 17 at 11:32 a.m. He did not enter a statement at the time of his arrest.