Christopher Dionne hosted the pilot episode of home improvement network HGTV's “Family Flip" and appeared in the A&E show “House Rescue” in California when police began the investigation.
Dionne was found guilty of risk of injury to a minor and sexual assault in the New London, Connecticut Judicial District Court on Wednesday, Oct. 16.for the Nov. 26, 2017 abuse.
Dionne grabbed the girl under her clothes and took pictures of her after awakening her at 1:30 a.m. at his home in Old Lyme, Connecticut, according to a warrant obtained by the Hartford Courant.
Dionne molested the girl several hours apart while his 14-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter sleep in the same room, People Magazine reported.
The 37-year-old Dionne's daughter and the victim were teammates on a youth soccer team and had regular sleepovers at each other's houses, People reported.
Dionne is expected to be released on a $100,000 bond while awaiting sentencing on Dec. 11. He faces up to 25 years in prison for the two charges.
A&E said it suspended production on a new show it had been working on with Dionne, NBC Connecticut reported.
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