Conn. nurse allegedly sought sex slaves

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HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 22 (UPI) -- A Connecticut nurse practitioner is accused of attempting to make sex slaves of a woman and her infant daughter, as detectives pursue new leads in the case.

Jay T. Mohler-Avery, 44, of Hartford, was arrested Oct. 28 and charged with attempted sexual assault, attempted risk of injury to a minor and conspiracy.

Details of the case emerged Tuesday after a sealing order on police reports and search warrants expired. Court documents indicated Mohler-Avery and a co-defendant, Candace Merriam, 46, attempted to take delivery of an 18-month-old girl so he could sexually assault her.

Police said Mohler-Avery and Merriam, who live together and work at Mohler-Avery's medical practice, convinced a patient, age 32, to move into his home with her four daughters, ages 9, 6, 3 and 18 months to be his sex slaves.

He wanted sexual contact with the infant, the arrest warrant states, so he could "break her in early," and offered to provide for the family for the rest of their lives.

The woman -- whose name was not reported -- was to be a "domestic slave," maintaining the home and satisfying his sexual needs, the warrant states.

Mohler-Avery has been jailed since his arrest, the Hartford Courant reported Thursday. Hartford Police Lt. Bill Meier said detectives have received new leads as a result of media attention to the case and want to "speak to anyone who may have been approached by Mohler-Avery."