Vernon Warrant Details Sex Assault Allegations, Hush Money Payments

VERNON, CT — A 22-year-old woman has been charged with second-degree sexual assault in Vernon.

Halie Mooney was also charged with witness tampering and risk of injury to a child, according to a warrant served Saturday. Mooney spent the balance of the weekend in the Vernon Police Department lockup on a $200,000 bond and was to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Monday.

According to a warrant, Mooney and the 13-year-old boy met when they found themselves in a mutual housing situation. They became close and the relationship turned sexual at times, according to a warrant.

The boy told a children's advocacy center in Hartford, the sex occurred "three or four times," according to a warrant. At first, Mooney told police the boy came at her on some occasions and then said the sex "just happened" on occasion, according to a warrant.

Investigators said hush money was also involved and uncovered payments made to the boy from Mooney via an electronic app totaling $100 and $45 last December; and $75, $13, $50 and $125 (twice) last January.

The boy told authorities that the payments were Mooney's idea so he would "not say anything about what happened to anyone." Mooney told investigators is was the boy's insistence that money be paid to keep the situation quiet, according to a warrant.

Mooney also said the boy and some of his family members were "rough" on her at times.

The relationship with the boy and his family broke off shortly after and Mooney now has a different address, according to a warrant.

According to a warrant, detectives conducted extensive interviews in the case since the boy and his father reported the incident at Rockville General Hospital in March.