Two men have accused Joaquim Pueyo, a former mayor of Alençon and current departmental counselor in Orne, of sexual misconduct against minors, according to recent reports. Patrick B., 59, and Tony C., 47, have filed complaints against Pueyo, who denies any wrongdoing. The allegations emerged five months after journalist Frédéric Pommier released his book, Derrière les arbres, in which he recounts a sexual assault he experienced as a child. The investigation team from Radio France has confirmed these new testimonies, which implicate Pueyo in past misconduct. Patrick B. claims he was sexually abused by Pueyo in 1981 when he was 14 years old and living in a foster home in the southern part of Alençon. According to Patrick, Pueyo picked him up in a car and took him to a restaurant and cinema. Later, Pueyo invited him to stay overnight at a house on the outskirts of Alençon, where he allegedly forced Patrick to masturbate and touched him multiple times. Patrick says he was too afraid to resist and recalls Pueyo telling him to be quiet during the incident. Tony C., who is from Livaie in the Orne department—like Pueyo—alleges that Pueyo sexually touched him in 1994 when he was 15. At the time, Pueyo was the director of the Nanterre prison. Tony says he was in a separate room at Pueyo's residence and woke up to someone touching him. He claims it was Pueyo and that he stopped the contact by turning onto his stomach. Tony says he never spoke about the incident until Pommier’s book was released in April 2026. Pueyo has denied the allegations, stating in an interview with Ouest-France that he is not responsible for the assault and has never been attracted to children. He has also filed a complaint against Pommier for "calumnious denunciation," arguing that details in the book and interviews made him identifiable despite the apparent anonymity. The office of Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin noted that Pueyo has not faced any disciplinary actions during his career in the prison administration from 1977 to 2008. The prosecutor in Caen ruled Pommier’s complaint as prescribed, but noted that Pueyo’s denial was not convincing. Pueyo’s lawyer, Maître Jérémy Kalfon, dismissed the testimonies of Patrick and Tony, claiming they have "no value" and emphasizing that justice should be conducted in formal legal settings, not in the media. Patrick B. had previously confided in friends about the incident but hesitated to file a complaint due to fear of repercussions and his background as a foster child. He decided to come forward after reading Pommier’s book. Similarly, Tony C. chose to file a complaint after the book’s release, believing it was necessary to speak out and help others with similar experiences. Both men now hope their testimonies will contribute to a broader conversation about accountability and justice for past misconduct.