Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Superior Court Justice Daniel A. Procaccini found Julio Morais (age 50), with a last known address of 23 Walker Street, Pawtucket, guilty of four counts of first degree child molestation. Judge Procaccini issued the verdict after a three day jury-waived trial.
During the course of the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that starting in 2002, Morais molested a young girl, the daughter of his girlfriend whom he subsequently married, from the time she was approximately seven and one half to 13 years of age. Morais intimidated his young victim into not telling anyone of the abuse because he told her no one would believe her and she would get into trouble.
The victim reported the molestation in September 2010, when she was 15, by writing a letter to her church leader seeking advice about a "friend" who fell away from the church because she was molested for years. She asked if God would punish her "friend" for not telling. The church contacted the police and DCYF. The victim is 18 years old today.
"Not only did this young victim have to endure the horror of being sexually molested at such a young age, but she also lived in fear of her family being ripped apart if she told anyone. No person, especially a child, should have to endure this type of abuse at the hands of someone who is supposed to be there to protect and care for them. It is my hope that today's verdict gives comfort to the victim and give others who may have suffered abuse as a child the strength to come forward to report the abuse and hold the perpetrators accountable," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
The Pawtucket Police conducted the investigation into the molestation, with the assistance of Hasbro Children's Hospital. Special Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Shannon Signore prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.