Romain G., a 40-year-old father of two in Lucenay (Beaujolais), was indicted on April 10, 2026, for rapes and sexual assaults on 31 additional boys aged 3 to 9, bringing the total victims to 34. Previously charged in early 2025 for similar acts on three boys, the scandal—unfolding since his December 2024 arrest—has sparked 'cold anger' in the tight-knit community near Lyon.
In the serene village of Lucenay, nestled between Lyon and Villefranche-sur-Saône, a gendarmerie van outside Robert-Doisneau school underscores the trauma gripping residents. The Villefranche-sur-Saône prosecutor's office confirmed the April indictment, following Romain G.'s initial January 2025 charges for rapes, sexual assaults on minors under 15, and possession of child pornography.
All victims were boys from nursery to elementary levels at the local school, the same one attended by the suspect's children. The acts occurred between 2020 and 2024 at his home during birthdays or sleepovers. G. recorded nearly 330 videos and photos using his phone or a hidden camera in an alarm clock, according to reports.
Arrested in December 2024 after some children confided in parents, he was held in custody before release. He later attempted suicide in Charnay forest, leaving a note: “I think I was born like that, I didn't choose to love boys... the too young boys (...) I hated myself for it, but I didn't have the strength to talk about it.” Gendarmes rescued him. During questioning, he admitted abusing about 30 children. Prosecutor Laetitia Francart noted he has been in pre-trial detention for over a year, adding, “Not all minors are victims of the same offenses.”
Known locally for a year since initial revelations, the case has shifted community emotion from shock to 'cold anger.' 'The majority of the boys in the class have been affected,' a resident testified. 'When someone suggests a sleepover, which should be perfectly harmless, everyone is cautious now,' another confided, highlighting the pervasive mistrust.
