New Bedford Man Sentenced to Conseuctive Jail Terms for Molestation of Pre-Teen Girl
Bristol County District Attorney’s Office
Thomas M. Quinn III
District Attorney
Press Release
October 4, 2019
A 30-year-old New Bedford man was sentenced to consecutive maximum jail terms yesterday after being convicted in New Bedford District Court of sexually molesting a pre-teen girl, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced.
A jury of his peers convicted Aaron Costa after a two-day trial of three counts of indecent assault and battery on a person under 14 years old. The defendant was sentenced by Judge Douglas Darnbrough to consecutive two-and-a-half year jail sentences in addition to five years of supervised probation. The two-and-a-half year jail terms are the maximum sentences allowed in the district court.
The defendant, who was 26 at the time of the incidents in 2015, was a friend of the 11 year-old victim’s family. He stood accused of molesting her on three separate occasions in New Bedford and Dartmouth. During the first incident, the defendant sat the victim on his lap during a baby shower in New Bedford and rubbed her vagina. During the second incident, which occurred at a storage facility in New Bedford, the defendant cupped the victim’s buttocks in a hallway. And during the third incident, which occurred in Dartmouth, the defendant had the victim sit on his lap in a car, took photos of her and once again rubbed her vagina.
The victim disclosed the molestation to her mother after the mother had a discussion with her about “stranger danger” and inappropriate touching.
Upon his release from the house of corrections, the defendant must register as a sex offender, must stay away from the victim and her family and must complete sex offender counseling.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Christine Letsche.
“I am pleased with jury verdict. The defendant manipulated his position as a family friend to indecently assault the young victim on three occasions. I commend the victim and her mother for their perseverance in this case, which involved multiple court hearings and continuances over the last three years. The sentence holds the defendant accountable for this serious criminal conduct,” District Attorney Quinn said.
Contact:
Gregg Miliote
Director of Communications
508-997-0711
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